Blocking in negotiations: Bolojan wants VAT increase to accept the position of prime minister. Consultations, canceled
The discussion scheduled for Thursday evening, at 8:00 pm, between Nicușor Dan and the party leaders was canceled. Earlier, Ilie Bolojan warned the President of Romania that he does not accept the position of prime minister if the head of state refuses to increase VAT to 21%
Nicușor Dan and Ilie Bolojan, at Cotroceni/Photo: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea
Political sources said that the discussions were rescheduled for Friday, June 20, but stressed that there will be no designation for the position of prime minister tomorrow.
Earlier, Ilie Bolojan had warned Nicușor Dan that he did not accept to be prime minister if the head of state refuses the VAT to 21%. The reason invoked by the president is that he gave in writing in the election campaign that the VAT will not increase in his mandate.
At the same time, it seems that USR leaders do not support a technocrat prime minister and it is not clear if they would agree to stay in a government with another prime minister than Ilie Bolojan.
PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu and UDMR president Kelemen Hunor were on the side of President Nicușor Dan on VAT growth, the political sources of “Adevărul” say.
In recent days, PSD, PNL, USR and UDMR have negotiated to agree with the structure of a pro-European government, but also to determine what fiscal measures will adopt the new Executive, to reduce the budget deficit by the end of this year.
The negotiations for the formation of the new government are the counter-meter, because the interim mandate of Cătălin Predoiu, who runs the government after the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu, ends on Friday, June 20.
In addition, on June 20, the meeting of the EU Finance Ministers (EcoFin) will take place, and Romania has a break until June 30 to adopt the package of measures to reduce the budget deficit.
On July 8, there will be a new Ecofin meeting in Brussels, where the measures adopted by the new government will be analyzed and then we will find out if Romania has escaped the procedure for suspending European funds.
