Mugur Isărescu: A technocrat prime minister is not necessarily the solution for Romania. “You have to have credibility. Otherwise you're talking into the void, into the desert”
The appointment of a technocrat prime minister is not necessarily the right solution for Romania, the governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), Mugur Isărescu, said on Tuesday. He emphasized that such a position requires experience, credibility and a good knowledge of government mechanisms and the political class.
A technocrat prime minister is not necessarily the right solution. PHOTO: Inquam Photos/George Călin
Asked if a technocrat prime minister could represent a viable option for our country, Isărescu explained that his experience during the period in which he led the Executive took place in completely different conditions compared to the current context.
“Not necessarily. I was a technocrat prime minister, but people forget that there were different conditions then. Until the year when I became prime minister, I participated in almost all government meetings, because there was no money and everyone was looking at the National Bank. Instead of coming here, I went to the Government. So I knew absolutely the entire political class both from the left, and from the right, and from the center. I knew them. The second thing: I negotiated with them the agreements with the International Monetary Fund. So it wasn't really difficult for me to get into the theme”, stated the governor of the BNR, on Tuesday, in a press conference.
He explained that the already consolidated relations with members of the political class and the experience of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund allowed him to take over the mandate without major difficulties, but warns that the situation would be different for a technocrat coming from outside the system.
“I don't know how easy it would be for a technocrat, especially coming from outside, to get into trouble quickly and especially to influence all the members of the Government. You have to have a certain credibility, to know them, to know you. Otherwise, you are talking in vain, in the desert”, said Isărescu.
Isărescu: “I was counting like a prisoner how many days I have until I leave the Victoria Palace”
The governor of the BNR also recalled the difficulties encountered during his tenure as prime minister, describing the position as one “extremely demanding”.
“I was counting like a prisoner how many days I have left until I leave the Victoria Palace. And when I left, a lady journalist asked me at the time, “Which do you think is more difficult, as governor or as prime minister?” And what should I answer? As prime minister you have to have eyes not only in front and left, on the right and especially eyes in the back, to see who stabs you in the back or at least be able to avoid it. It's much harder to be prime minister. It's an extremely difficult job applicant”, he declared.
Regarding the effects of a possible prolongation of the political instability, Mugur Isărescu avoided making forecasts, but warned that delaying the formation of a new government would not be beneficial for Romania.
“It won't be good if the formation of the new government takes a long time. What I can testify now to you and to public opinion is that we are trying to do our duty here.” sent the governor of the BNR.
The recipe for getting out of the crisis after Isărescu's warning
Romania is approaching a limit of the economic model based on deficit-financed consumption, warns analyst Adrian Negrescu, who claims that the solution for stability comes from massive investments in infrastructure, the absorption of European funds, the digitization of tax administration and the reduction of budget waste. The analyst's statement coincides with that of BNR Governor Mugur Isărescu, according to whom the economy needs a growth model based more on investment than consumption, in a context where inflation, deficits and external pressures force painful but necessary adjustments.
