Oana Gheorghiu, the first reaction after Carmen Uscatu's statements: “I am surprised. I hope it is not an attempt to remove me from the NGO”
Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu had a first reaction after Carmen Uscatu, co-founder of “Give Life”, declared that her appointment to the Government affects the activity of the NGO. “There is no interference between my governmental duties and the work of the Association”she declared.
Oana Gheorghiu PHOTO: FB
“I fully respect the legislation regarding the regime of incompatibilities applicable to members of the Government. I suspended myself from the executive position and from the Board of Directors of the Donate Life Association before assuming the position of deputy prime minister, in full compliance with the provisions of Law No. 161/2003. I communicated this within the Association, before the information regarding my appointment became public, and I submitted all the necessary documents to formalize the decision and to ensure continuity the projects I coordinated. Every step was taken in consultation with lawyers, precisely to ensure that I respect the law and the principles of public integrity.” transmitted Oana Gheorghiu for Digi24.
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that he is currently only a founding member of the NGO, a status that implies membership in the General Assembly, not in the executive management structure.
“The duties regarding the management of the current activity belong to the Board of Directors, of which I am no longer a member. Therefore, there is no legal incompatibility, and my status is 100% in accordance with the law. Romanian legislation does not impose on members of the Government the obligation to renounce their capacity as founding members of a non-governmental organization, there are other people in the Government of Romania who are members of non-governmental organizations. (…) There is no interference between my governmental duties and the activity of the Association Gives Life and with even more so with regard to my status as a charter member, and any claim to the contrary is false and baseless,” Oana Gheorghiu also specified, for the cited source.
Regarding Carmen Uscatu's statements, Oana Gheorghiu emphasized that “I hope there is no intention to remove me from the capacity of a founding member of the Association”.
“I am surprised by Carmen Uscatu's statements and I hope that it is about a misunderstanding of the legal framework regarding the regime of incompatibilities applicable to members of the Government, and not an intention to generate pressure or confusion in the public space or an intention to remove me as a founding member of the Association. I remain open to a direct discussion, between us, as we have always done”the deputy prime minister also said.
Carmen Uscatu considers the appointment of her colleague as deputy prime minister a great vulnerability
The co-founder of the “Give Life” Association, Carmen Uscatu, says that although Oana Gheorghiu has suspended herself from executive roles at the Association, her presence as deputy prime minister is “a very high vulnerability“, because Gheorghiu still retains the capacity of member with the right to vote in the General Assembly of the NGO.
“We signed sponsorship contracts where we said we have no members in the government,” claims Carmen Uscatu.
She says that this situation makes international sponsors ask questions about a possible conflict of interest.
“They call us because they don't want to be susceptible to influencing the government's policies through a sponsorship for “Give Life”, considering this dual role that Oana has at the moment”, says Carmen Uscatu.
