Why won't PSD leave the government. Theodor Stolojan explains the stakes of “reforms to the end”

With the protests of the local leaders on the threshold and increasing tensions in the coalition, the complicated situation of the Cabinet led by Ilie Bolojan recalls the critical moments in the Boc government. However, the Social Democrats will not give up the government, former Prime Minister Theodor Stolojan explains, arguing that PSD's interest is to support Bolojan to see the reforms through to the end, as the rotation plan stipulates that the party will take over as Prime Minister in 2027.

PHOTO Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea

Between the government of Ilie Bolojan and the government of Emil Boc, both prime ministers of Romania forced by circumstances to impose drastic reforms in the public sector, there are similarities, both moments being marked by the urgent context, in which it was necessary to restore the budgetary and financial balance, as well as the confidence that Romania can have coherent and healthy public finances. But the reasons why the country came to need such radical measures are completely different, explains former prime minister Theodor Stolojan.

“The Boc government was faced with a crisis that it had to solve, caused primarily by some external causes, the financial crisis that started in 2007-2008-2009 and also reached Romania, exactly at the time when the Boc government started. Of course, with the problems in Romania, but the main cause came from outside. So, Boc had nowhere to go and had to solve it. Romania was entering a crisis. At that time, the debt Romania's short-term foreign exchange was greater than the country's foreign exchange reserves. That extraordinary loan of 90 million euros was needed to stabilize Romania, to give security to external creditors and all other measures.

Now, Bolojan runs into another problem. He must solve a crisis created by Romanian politicians, not by someone else. That's the situation. And it certainly bothers him now, when, in order to solve this crisis, he has to take some measures to restore the budget balance, which means increasing taxes, reducing expenses, all the more so as these phenomena occur against the background of a decrease in economic growth in Romania”. he explains.

Referring to the “tolerability limit” invoked by leaders of the current governing coalition, who are now demanding a return to some of the government's decisions, the former prime minister points out: “Let's look a little at what is happening in Ukraine to understand what the limit of endurance means. And then maybe we'll recover a little too”.

Did the Bolojan Cabinet miss the moment of reforms?

Regarding the reforms that should have fundamentally changed the public system, Stolojan shows that “no Bolojan lost” the opportune moment, but the governing coalition: “You know this coalition very well, some work in one way, others work in another way. That's the situation. So Bolojan didn't lose the moment. If it was after him, he didn't waste any time. The governing coalition lost him.”

In the current scenario, the departure of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan is excluded with a PSD waiting for the government rotation in 2027, when he will take over the post of Prime Minister, Stolojan believes.

“The interest of the PSD now is for Bolojan to complete the reforms and for the PSD to come in March or April, when it must come, in 2027, with a stabilized economy, without any other headaches. To be able to start raising wages and increasing pensions, and everything he knows how to do best, without having resources. From my point of view, the interest of the PSD is that Bolojan completes his mandate and Bolojan he will keep his word”.

Unprecedented revolt of local leaders

The Bolojan government is facing an unprecedented upheaval in local government. A warning strike will take place on Tuesday, February 10, in the town halls of over 1,500 communes in Romania. The complaints of local leaders come both against the background of the reform in public administration and in the context of a health reform, which proposes a new hierarchy of public hospitals. The mayors asked the prime minister last week that the “strategic hospital” status be granted based on medical performance, not just on administrative criteria that favor county residences.

14 years ago, the health reform triggered protests that led to the definitive departure of Prime Minister Boc, through resignation. The former prime minister had already gone through a departure from the top of the Executive, but caused by a PSD withdrawal from the government. The Social-Democrats then resigned as a bloc and voted the censure motion against the first Cabinet Boc, on October 13, 2009.