Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD) will not vote on the Wage Law for the public sector and the revised Integrity Law, the leader of the party, Sorin Grindeanu, announced in a press conference after the consultation on a new prime minister held at the Presidency on the morning of July 13. Besides the two key bills, he implied that his party would vote for the other four bills that are milestones under the PNRR, bringing a total of EUR 4.5 billion of grants if legislated by the end of August, only if acting prime minister Ilie Bolojan resigns.

The six legislative measures constitute the main outstanding milestones Romania must complete to secure the next tranche of PNRR funding before the end of August. Acting PM Ilie Bolojan, in a B1 TV interview later the same day, explained that they are currently in consultation with the European Commission and will be ready for approval at a would-be extraordinary session of the Parliament in the second half of July.

The brief consultations organised by the Presidency on July 13 ended not only with no results, but also with no official information on the advancements achieved or the topics discussed. The president can not call early elections before August 22 (60 days since the first failed PM nomination in Parliament) and only after another PM designation that president Nicusor Dan would not announce in the absence of an explicit majority.

Grindeanu’s statement on PNRR bills marks a major deterioration in the political crisis that emerged with the no-confidence motion signed by PSD on May 5, several days after pulling out of the ruling coalition. PSD’s threat not to back the PNRR bills not only puts at risk the PNRR grants but also brings closer the early elections scenario. Acting PM Bolojan and head of reformist party USR, Dominic Fritz, mentioned this as a relevant option – Bolojan in an interview given to B1 TV and the USR head in a press statement. 

At the outset of the political crisis that emerged after the no-confidence motion filed by PSD in partnership with the far-right AUR, president Nicusor Dan announced that the pro-Western parties previously forming the ruling coalition agreed on joint support for national priorities, including the PNRR bills, fiscal consolidation, the EU-backed SAFE scheme, and fiscal consolidation. No written agreement was published at that time, but Liberal (PNL) secretary general Dan Motreanu implied that such a written agreement exists, according to Digi24.

Motreanu claimed that the PSD leader signed the agreement on supporting projects from the PNRR and declared that the party he leads will vote on the laws necessary for its implementation "regardless of whether it is in government or in opposition," but this is not happening.

In his extensive press conference on July 13, PSD leader Grindeanu has radicalised his rhetoric against acting PM Bolojan, accusing him of the political deadlock and asking him to resign. A large majority of 288 MPs voted for the dismissal of PM Bolojan, Grindeanu reminded without mentioning the political structure of this vast majority (achieved with the help of the far-right AUR – which was in fact the author of the non-confidence motion). 

The resignation of acting PM Bolojan would complicate the political situation, in the absence of a parliamentary majority, but would allow president Nicusor Dan to appoint an interim prime minister such as the Liberal Adrian Vestea – which may further pressure Liberals into dismissing Ilie Bolojan and resuming their cooperation with Social Democrats under the structure of the former ruling coalition.

PSD’s leader Grindeanu claimed that the PNRR bills are the responsibility of the government, implying that since it can legislate the bills by emergency ordinance (which can not be done by an interim government no matter the political colour), the Parliament, where he serves as speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, is not responsible for passing the bills instead.

"PSD is in opposition," Grindeanu stressed, as reported by Digi24 – again, not mentioning the political structure of the opposition (that includes, besides PSD, AUR and other smaller far-right groups).

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Călin)