Romania's Liberal Party (PNL) has proposed to president Nicușor Dan a six-month national political agreement open to all parliamentary parties, aimed at implementing a limited set of priorities through a minority government, according to G4Media. The initiative comes as prime minister-designate Adrian Veştea failed to secure parliamentary approval on June 21.

Under the proposal, the minority cabinet could either be formed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), as the largest parliamentary force, with full political responsibility, or by the other three members of the former ruling coalition, namely PNL, the reformist party USR, and the Hungarians' party UDMR, with support in Parliament from the signatories to the agreement.

The PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu, speaking after Vestea's failed nomination vote, rejected the scenario in principle. However, further consultations expected to be mediated by President Dan are likely to use the two Liberal proposals as a starting point.

Speaking to Digi24 after the June 21 extraordinary congress of PNL president and acting prime minister Ilie Bolojan said he had already presented both options to the head of state and confirmed that he would not seek the premiership.

"In this entire complicated political situation, there are correct, transparent solutions through which a minority government can govern Romania," Bolojan said.

He added that PNL would support a PSD minority cabinet "not for PSD itself, but for the key national priorities to be fulfilled". Conversely, PNL, USR, and UDMR would also be prepared to form a minority government with "a defined lifetime and mission".

"This means that the president of Romania can nominate a prime minister from one side or the other, in such a way that there is a period of six months in which the minority cabinet can settle this deadlock situation," Bolojan said.

Asked whether he would support PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu as prime minister, Bolojan replied that such a possibility could be discussed if proposed by the president and agreed by the parties.

According to Bolojan, all parliamentary parties willing to participate could join the agreement. The program would focus on adopting, through accelerated procedures by mid-July, legislation required to meet Romania's Recovery and Resilience Facility milestones and secure EU funds. Maintaining fiscal stability and preserving investment programs would constitute the other priorities of the arrangement.

(Photo: Gov.ro)

iulian@romania-insider.com