In the first reaction after submitting the PSD-AUR censure motion, Nicușor Dan insists: “I keep my distance” / The “extremely improbable” scenario

President Nicușor Dan stated that he maintains his “equidistance” towards the parties involved in the political crisis in Bucharest, on Tuesday evening, in his first public statements after PSD and AUR submitted a motion of censure against the government led by the liberal Ilie Bolojan.

Asked by reporters, in Dubrovnik, on the sidelines of the Three Seas Initiative Summit, whether he supports Ilie Bolojan or not, Nicușor Dan described the prime minister as “a very serious person”, but avoided giving a concrete answer.

“He is a person I respect, a very serious person, but what we have all noticed for a long time is that we have a split (a division, no) between two halves of the pro-European direction. Regarding this issue, which was transposed into an administrative act, a motion of censure, I keep my distance,” said the head of state.

On the scenario of an early election, the president said it was “extremely, extremely unlikely”, given that none of the similar crises in the past had reached this stage: “We don't have to take it too much into account”.

The president was also asked about his degree of confidence in the PSD, saying that the social democrats “did a good thing” on Tuesday in the parliamentary vote for the SAFE program, but his overall assessment of the party led by Sorin Grindeanu “is in all directions”.

On the possibility of a PSD-AUR government, he said that the scenario is “extremely improbable”. The President referred to the fact that “none of the pro-European parties say they want to form a government with anti-Western forces – AUR”.

Nicușor Dan, about I3M: “A very important format for the prosperity of the people of Romania”

HotNews live-texted the president's remarks.

The Three Seas initiative, which encompasses many countries from the former communist bloc, which later joined the EU, with common security and economic interests. This is what was discussed in today's debates, tomorrow will be an economic forum.

In short, we represent relatively small markets for the global market, how can we stimulate investment in this area, which has a higher growth rate than the EU average, but which is still not cooperating enough. For that, we need to improve connectivity, see how we harmonize the rules that apply to companies in each of the countries. A very important format for the economy and for the prosperity of the people in Romania.

Today, at noon, we had the signing of a protocol by which an investment fund of this region is initiated.

Nicușor Dan avoided saying whether or not he supports the prime minister: “A person I respect”

A question and answer session follows. The president was asked about the PSD-AUR motion and whether he still considers his role as a mediator appropriate.

Two things happened today, a motion was submitted, and 9 billion euros were voted for SAFE in Parliament. We must welcome the pro-European direction, the responsibility of those who voted for such an important project for Romania. I exercised the role of mediator the day before yesterday, today's vote is also due to this.

Now that the motion has been tabled, can you say whether or not you support the Prime Minister?

He is a very serious person, whom I respect, but we have a split between two halves of the pro-European direction. I keep my distance.

About the anticipated scenario and the possibility of a PSD-AUR government

How likely is it that PSD and AUR will form a government together?

Extremely improbable, as the PSD president declared. There are people who are in the position of party leaders.

How harmful would the scenario of early elections be for Romania?

We are still moving forward in the scenarios, but we had the list from the beginning. This scenario is extremely, extremely unlikely. None of the similar crises ended with early elections. We should not take this scenario too much into account.

Grindeanu clapped with Simion. Can you still trust PSD?

We're talking about institutional relationships here, not personal relationships. Institutionally is an evaluation that I do. They did a good thing by voting for the SAFE program today. The evaluation on these months is in all directions.

The 6 million votes that were given to you last year and the political program came in the service of the pro-European direction. How will you ensure that Romania will not be diverted from its European trajectory?

We have the parties' declaration, none of the pro-European parties say they want to form a government with anti-Western forces, AUR. Then, in that scenario, in which I will have to appoint a prime minister, I will make sure that this does not happen.

The PSD-AUR censure motion will be voted on on May 5

PSD and AUR submitted the censure motion against the Bolojan Government on Tuesday. The announcement regarding the intention to submit it had been made on Monday, by the social democrat Marian Neacșu and Petrișor Peiu from AUR, while the president Nicușor Dan had consultations in Cotroceni with the leaders of the broken coalition, on the topic of PNRR and the SAFE program.

The motion was signed by 254 parliamentarians, and to lead to the dismissal of the Bolojan Government, it will need a majority of at least 233 votes in the plenary session of the Parliament. PSD, AUR, POT, SOS, PACE and non-affiliates together have 281 votes.

The leadership of the Parliament established that the motion will be read on Wednesday, from 12 o'clock, and will be voted on in secret, with ballots, on Tuesday, May 5, from 11 o'clock.

PSD wants “a deep change”. Bolojan accuses a “dynamitation” of the coalition

In a statement in which it says that it “gathered the necessary votes for the dismissal of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan”, the PSD claims that it “will achieve a profound change in the way of governance, as requested by the vast majority of Romanian citizens”.

The Social Democrats accused the Liberal prime minister of being “lacking legitimacy and without parliamentary support”.

“PSD believes that Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's inability to respect his governing partners and to be responsive to the problems and concerns of Romanians significantly affected the act of governance and produced numerous institutional blockages,” PSD also stated in Tuesday's statement.

The previous evening, in his first public reaction after the PSD-AUR announcement regarding the motion, Ilie Bolojan accused the social democrats of having “dynamited the government” and said that “we are de facto witnessing a new coalition being formed”, between the party of Sorin Grindeanu and that of George Simion.

At the same time, the liberal prime minister accused the PSD leader of “lying” both in terms of governance issues and in the way he related to the AUR in the discussions with European officials, in which, according to the PNL leader, Sorin Grindeanu “demonized” those with whom he has now submitted a motion of censure.

Resignation from PSD after submitting the motion

PSD's decision to submit a motion alongside AUR caused a first resignation in the party. Senator Victoria Stoiciu announced on Tuesday that she has officially submitted her resignation from the social-democratic formation, with whose vision she is now “totally at odds”.

“I believe that an absolute cordon sanitaire is needed to keep the extremist forces in total political isolation,” said the senator.

“Any violation of this principle is not just a tactical error, but a normalization of fascism. Step by step, until the monster is too big to take down,” she added.