Ilie Bolojan suggests that PSD is considering “actions” for an unprecedented scenario from Traian Băsescu

“No one guarantees us that the PSD does not resort to other political actions, as they have done in these years, including with regard to the President of Romania”, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Monday evening, in his first public reaction after the social democrats announced the submission of a motion of censure alongside the AUR, referring to the possibility that the party led by Sorin Grindeanu will start the procedures to suspend the head of state.

Asked, in a show on Digi24, how he thinks the news that PSD is “teaming up” with AUR for the motion came just half an hour after the morning session began at the Cotroceni Palace, the head of the Executive answered: “This is due to the style of some people in the PSD leadership. This has happened more than once. It is not something that should surprise you. My fear for the future, because a country needs some anchors, it needs stability, of a certain direction, is related to the fact that a president, in order to implement his program, which has an important executive component, needs a collaboration with the government”.

“If you no longer have an honest collaboration with the government, you risk not being able to implement your campaign projects”, continued Ilie Bolojan.

“No one guarantees us that in the next period the PSD will not resort to other actions, including what concerns the president”, the prime minister also declared, in an apparent reference to the option of triggering the actions to suspend Nicușor Dan.

The position of Nicușor Dan

On Monday, in an intervention on Digi FM, the head of state again avoided saying whether he still supports Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, arguing that he must be a mediator: “At the moment there is a political fracture between the two sides of a coalition that I would have liked to have functioned. In this sense, I cannot pronounce”.

“For months I have been discussing with one and the other, UDMR, USR, and I have noticed that the tension is increasing. We are in a moment where there is somehow an irreconcilable position between two parties, I have to be a mediator. (…) By the fact that including today from 10.00 that discussion takes place, in a civilized way, the Romanians should have confidence that we are going in the right direction”, declared the president, when asked if he still supports Ilie Bolojan in the position of prime minister

Asked what he answers to those who consider him a pesedist, Nicușor Dan answered: “It always depends on which side you look at. If you look from the PSD side, I'm sure I'm seen as being on the other side.”

Responding to another question about not declaring his support for Prime Minister Bolojan, the president said: “But it's not constitutional. That's what I think.”

PSD-AUR announcement

Former Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacșu announced on Monday, in a joint conference with the leader of the AUR senators, Petrișor Peiu, that the PSD will initiate, together with the party led by George Simion, a motion of censure against the Government led by Ilie Bolojan.

The two politicians were asked if this can be considered a first step for a collaboration in government as well.

“Any road starts with the first step. For now, we are facing this step,” said Neacșu.

Later, the PSD president, Sorin Grindeanu, insisted that there is no post-motion political agreement with the AUR, and the support of the censure motion by the two parties is a parliamentary move.

As for him, the leader of AUR, George Simion, said on Monday, shortly after the announcement made by Neacșu and Peiu, that he will submit the motion if he collects 233 signatures, the number of votes needed to bring down the Bolojan government. Simion did not rule out a government with the PSD.

“We are willing to ensure any government that can generate fair elections. We did not have fair elections in 2024 and 2025. Dan has not done his duty, he has not presented any report on the annulment of the elections. The first step we are taking to achieve our political goals is to pass this no-confidence motion. Let's see that everyone keeps their word,” said the president of the AUR, in a conference in press.

And on Monday evening, Dan Dungaciu, the first vice-president of the AUR, explained that the overthrow of the Bolojan Government through a vote in Parliament is the first step for triggering early elections.

“We believe that early elections are the solution to the repeated and overlapping crises in which Romania finds itself today. Tactically speaking, the no-confidence motion is a step. (…) This fall of the Bolojan Government is a step towards anticipation. (…) The only way out of this crisis is early elections,” declared number 2 in AUR, to Euronews Romania.

Asked if, in order to trigger early elections, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians is willing to enter into government with the social democrats, Dan Dungaciu stated: “AUR can support a Government that triggers early elections. There is no decision at the level of the statutory forums. If our strategic project is the triggering of early elections, obviously we will do everything that depends on us to make it happen. (…) We have a political collaboration to bring it down this Government, we are open to any other political collaboration to trigger early elections”.