Alexandru Muraru asks PSD to withdraw political support to Radu Oprea, after he compared job cuts to Auschwitz: “The only option is resignation, not apologies”
PNL MP Alexandru Muraru, Photo: Inquam Photos / Sabin Cirstoveanu
PNL Vice President Alexandru Muraru publicly asked PSD President Sorin Grindeanu to withdraw his political support to the Secretary General of the Government, Radu Oprea, after the statement in which he compared job cuts within the SGG to “Auschwitz”. “The later the departure of the impertinent character, the more the Social Democratic Party will be laughed at,” Muraru wrote in a Facebook post.
The request comes a day after the liberal had asked him to resign and in the context in which the USR made a similar call.
“I make a direct appeal to Mr. Sorin Grindeanu, in his capacity as party president, and the PSD to withdraw political support for Radu Oprea in order to avoid an international scandal generated by the statements and the situation created by him. The later the departure of the impertinent character occurs, the more it will make a laughing stock of the Social Democratic Party and affect the image of the Government. The gravity of the statements and the situation are much more serious than they seem,” Muraru said.
The Secretary General of the Government said in a post on Facebook on Thursday that he used “strong” words but in a “non-offensive” way when he compared the job cuts in the SGG to “Auschwitz”.
“If they have awakened painful memories for my Jewish friends from Romania, from Israel or from anywhere in the world, I apologize”, wrote Radu Oprea, in his message.
Hotnews published the full recording of Radu Oprea's statement.
Radu Oprea (PSD), the Secretary General of the Government, claims that the statement comparing job cuts to Auschwitz was “misinterpreted” / HotNews publishes the AUDIO recording of his statement
The PNL vice-president accused Oprea of ”shamelessly lying despite indubitable audio evidence” and of trying to dilute the seriousness of his statement.
“Radu Oprea is a dishonorable politician who shamelessly lies despite indubitable audio evidence, saying that the statement was interpreted. Any attempt to dilute the seriousness of his statements sinks him further into ridicule. Such statements demonstrate historical illiteracy and distort the factual truth by suggesting that in fact the Holocaust is not our history and problem, but that of the Jews (…) the only option for Radu Oprea (PSD) is resignation, not apologies,” Muraru said.
“I don't cut. People were numbers only at Auschwitz”
Asked by HotNews, on Wednesday, about what “job cuts” he made last year within the SGG, Radu Oprea said: “I don't cut. People were only numbers at Auschwitz. They left without scandal, I find formulas. I don't work on statistics. People are not costs.”
He also stated that he did not sign the 40% reduction of positions in the Chancellery of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, announced last summer, because the implementation through an emergency ordinance, as Mihai Jurca, the head of the Chancellery, wants, would be against the law. In reply, Mihai Jurca denied that it is a legality problem., d
Government spokeswoman: “A political statement”
Asked Thursday by HotNews, what is the position of the prime minister regarding Radu Oprea's statements, the spokeswoman for the Government, Ioana Dogioiu, stated that the institution does not have a position, because “the subject was not discussed in today's Government meeting”.
“I did not discuss with the Prime Minister this topic, of Mr. Oprea's statement. It was not a topic on today's agenda of the Government meeting,” answered Dogioiu.
She added: “I don't comment on political statements, you know that very well. This was a political statement.”
