Romania's ruling coalition stands united and backs energy minister Popescu

The votes that the Social Democrat (PSD) MPs will give to the simple motion filed by reformist party USR against Liberal (PNL) minister of energy Virgil Popescu "will be given against a populist approach" of USR and will not regard minister Popescu's performance, the leader of the PSD deputies, Alfred Simonis, said during the public debates on the reformists' attack against the ruling coalition's energy policy.

Despite going in the right direction, the amendments to the "cap and subsidy" scheme aimed at mitigating the effects of rising energy prices include many failures resulting from significant financial imbalances and operational risks induced in the system.

The vote is expected for September 7.

"USR is not entitled to talk to us about what should be done in the energy sector, given that they were the main supporters of price liberalization," said Simonis. He added that "there are difficulties in regulating energy prices overnight", but the signatories of the motion did not advance better solutions. "In many cases, the production was sold in advance, it happened during your term," Simonis said, according to Agerpres, Digi24 reported.

USR has briefly been part of the ruling coalition with the Liberals in 2021.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)