The USR leader accuses Cătălin Drula of a “jegostic and misogynistic” attack. “In front of a competent woman, the answer is always the same”
Dominic Fritz, president of USR Photo: Inquam Photos – Octav Ganea
The President of USR, Dominic Fritz, complained that after the appointment of Alina Gîrbea as Secretary of State at the Ministry of European Funds, “there were no delays in attacks by interested parties that she would have gotten there through an alleged family relationship with Cătălin Drula”, the party's candidate for the Capital City Hall. The USR leader claims that he himself proposed her for that position, that there is no longer a kinship relationship between the two and that “when Alina was succeeding in the European institutions, Cătălin Drula was barely entering politics”.
Commenting on the situation in a Facebook post Thursday night, Dominic Fritz said he was “sick of the misogynist reflex in politics!”.
“In front of a competent woman, the answer is always the same: “surely there is a man behind”. The fact that a woman performs without the support of a man gets on her nerves (…). Husband, brother-in-law, boyfriend, lover, it doesn't matter, the important thing is to reduce the woman to a relationship with a man”, declared the USR leader.
“15 years of experience in European institutions”
Fritz described Alina Gîrbea as “a professional with 15 years of experience in European institutions, with solid studies at Sciences Po Paris, with an international career CV”, who “worked with the former president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, with Dacian Cioloș, with Cristian Preda, with the European Commission”, getting there “on merit”.
“But for some, a woman can't just be competent. She has to be 'someone's.' This attack on Cătălin Drula is, in fact, hateful and misogynistic. Sponge out a career built honestly. Hurting a professional for free just because she's a woman. And they are trying to hit through it our candidate for the Capital City Hall,” added the USR president.
Dominic Fritz says he proposed her for the position in MIPE
The USR leader stated that the new secretary of state in the Ministry of Investments and European Projects “has nothing to hide” and “she clearly said that there was a family relationship with Cătălin Drula, which has since ended”.
“But when Alina was succeeding in the European institutions, Cătălin Drula was just entering politics. I proposed her for the ministry position, not someone else, and I am proud that she accepted. Just as I am proud that of the 8 state secretaries who have been appointed by the USR, 4 are women. I am glad that Romania has such competent women for public positions. We need as many of them as possible. And I will not remain silent while the jegos try to it silences them,” Dominic Fritz also declared.
The Minister of European Funds: It is not my role to do investigations related to personal life
In a press briefing on Thursday, after the government meeting, a reporter claimed that Alina Gîrbea is the “sister-in-law” of Cătălin Drula and asked the head of MIPE if he knew this.
“It is not my role to make such analyses(…). I received Ms. Alina Gîrbea this morning, after the appointment act came into force. I am convinced that we will have a professional collaboration. It is not my role to investigate any aspects related to your personal life. I assure you that institutionally Ms. Gîrbea meets all the conditions, given her CV and her professional ability, to brilliantly represent the portfolio of dignitary, as secretary of state, in the Ministry of Investments and European Projects”, replied Dragoș Pîslaru.
