Grindeanu: Even the liberals do not agree with the austerity measures. It seems that only USR-ists are left around this type of politics

The president of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, claims that even the members of the PNL, the party led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, do not agree with the austerity measures proposed by the Prime Minister and implemented by the Government. “It seems that around this type of austerity policy there is still a part of the USR-ists, that they are not liberals, and that chorus of praisers from a politically unregimented area, more of an NGO area,” says Grindeanu.

The PSD leader was asked, Monday evening, on Romania TV, if he agrees with his party colleagues who believe that Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan should resign, reports News.ro. Without giving a concrete answer, Grindeanu showed that even the liberals do not support the measures proposed by the prime minister.

“You know that I'm a more settled person and not a follower of these, let's say, more abrupt exits (the resignation requests – no), but I wouldn't look at my colleagues. Let's look at what the liberals mean and say. Because I see in the last week, at least, many liberals who came out to challenge… they don't challenge the person of Mr. Bolojan, but the measures, and there are more and more of them. It seems that around this type of politics of austerity, to throw people out, to put taxes and austerity, in short, there is still a part of the USR-ists, that they are not liberals, and that chorus of braggarts from an area that is not politically regimented, more in an NGO area. These are the ones that have remained in this area”, said Sorin Grindeanu.

He recalled that the PSD opposed the value added tax (VAT) increase. “I want to tell you that today I am absolutely convinced that it was not, and I agree with President Nicuşor Dan, that there was no need to increase the VAT. (…) From the beginning it was said that there was no need to increase the VAT, but it went on and on, if you remember. Do not increase the VAT, do not go as a prime minister, something like that. But it belongs to the past, it is something that has already happened. The receipts to the state budget did not stay much better than they were last year, all these things show that this increase was not justified, which many Romanians said,” said Grindeanu.

Sorin Grindeanu: The package regarding the administration and the one regarding the economic recovery must be approved at the same time

The president of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, also stated on Romania TV that he will not accept that the Government assumes responsibility separately for the package of measures regarding the administration and the one regarding the economic relaunch and that the coalition tried to decouple the two packages of measures.

“We met today at the coalition on an agenda discussed last week related to the budget, related to the discussions that took place at the Ministry of Finance on the relaunch package and related to a certain calendar for the simultaneous assumption of the two packages, one of administration and the other of economic relaunch and on the calendar with the approval of the budget. (…) I want to tell you something very clear and I said it today in the coalition, and my point of view was reinforced by Mr. Kelemen Hunor, I tell you that PSD does not give up on this economic recovery package. It is clear that Romania needs something like this because for six or seven months we have been talking about cuts, restructuring, VAT increases, and tax increases view and it is essential if one wants to continue with PSD within this coalition. (…) A kind of decoupling of the two packages was attempted today, but I think that things were well understood – both packages must be approved at the same time”, said Grindeanu, according to Agerpres.