Social Democrat leader sends mixed signals on backing Romania's key reform agenda

Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD) has sent conflicting signals over its willingness to support legislation linked to the country's Recovery and Resilience Facility (PNRR), with party leader Sorin Grindeanu softening his earlier remarks on the PNRR reform package while simultaneously escalating his criticism of acting prime minister Ilie Bolojan.

The mixed messaging adds to uncertainty over the adoption of six key reform bills that Romania must pass to unlock more than EUR 4.5 billion in grants under the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Speaking on July 14, Grindeanu said PSD would "absolutely respect all its commitments" but would not vote "on demand" for legislation promoted by the dismissed government, Hotnews.ro reported. He added that the bills, which have already been revised following consultations with the European Commission, would be amended before being approved by Parliament.

A day earlier, however, Grindeanu argued that PSD could not support two or three of the six PNRR laws in their current form. He said the proposals would reduce wages in parts of the public sector, accelerate the closure of coal-fired power plants and modify the legal framework governing the National Integrity Agency (ANI) in a way that, according to him, would benefit senior members of the reformist Save Romania Union (USR).

At the same time, Grindeanu intensified his political attacks on Bolojan in a Facebook post, accusing the acting prime minister and leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL) of displaying autocratic behaviour.

The PSD leader has also reiterated his demand that Bolojan resign as acting prime minister before meaningful cooperation between the two parties on the PNRR legislation can resume.

The latest statements suggest that, although PSD has stopped short of rejecting the reform package outright, political tensions between the country's two largest pro-European parties continue to cloud the prospects for securing parliamentary approval of the legislation before the EU deadlines. At the same time, PSD’s true commitment to pass the PNRR laws remains highly questionable.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Pana Tudor)