Romania risks losing billions of euros in EU funding if political instability disrupts reform efforts, minister of investments and European projects Dragoș Pîslaru said, criticising the Social Democratic Party (PSD) for withdrawing support for prime minister Ilie Bolojan, according to a Facebook statement published on April 20 immediately after PSD’s decision to withdraw political support for the PM.

Pîslaru said PSD’s decision to step back from the ruling coalition comes at a critical stage for the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), under which Romania is set to receive around EUR 10 billion by August 2026, Economica.net reported.

“The PSD leadership’s decision to abandon Romania is an act of irresponsibility at a critical moment for our country,” he said, adding that “the PSD leadership’s priority is not the development of Romania, but the avoidance of reforms that disturb the party’s interests.”

According to the minister, PSD-led ministries are responsible for a significant share of the reform agenda. He said 57% of critical reforms and 36% of remaining targets and milestones under the PNRR fall under their coordination.

Pîslaru warned that failure to complete these reforms could put more than EUR 6 billion at risk. 

“To leave the government now means to leave these reforms without political commitment, exactly when efforts need to be accelerated to achieve them. It is a major economic risk for Romania,” he said.

The minister’s comments came amid a deepening political crisis after PSD withdrew political backing for Bolojan and threatened to pull its ministers from the cabinet, raising uncertainty over the continuity of the reform programme.

Romania’s access to EU recovery funds is conditional on meeting strict milestones related to fiscal consolidation, governance reforms, and investment targets, making political stability a key factor in maintaining the flow of financing.

President Nicuşor Dan has initiated consultations with political parties to seek a resolution to the crisis, as concerns grow over delays in implementing commitments tied to EU funding.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Dragos Pislaru)