Romania’s Hungarian party, UDMR, has renewed its agreement with the Liberal Party (PNL) and reformist Save Romania Union (USR) to support Siegfried Mureșan as their joint candidate for prime minister, UDMR president Kelemen Hunor told Maszol.ro on August 31. He thus pushed back against speculation about an imminent ruling coalition centred around the Social Democratic Party (PSD), reportedly being pursued by president Nicușor Dan.

UDR seems to see PSD as not capable of gaining majority support in Parliament for a PSD-centered government, even with their votes. Relying on lawmakers of far-right orientation has been stated as a red line by UDMR in the past, and it was the main reason for not backing the prime minister candidate Adrian Vestea in Parliament. Only the participation of a sufficiently large part of PNL in PSD’s project could most likely convince the Hungarian party to join the coalition that would thus gain majority parliamentary support.

PSD has its own candidate for prime minister, namely Sorin Grindeanu, the UDMR leader added.

Kelemen Hunor denied reports that he had told Sorin Grindeanu and PNL leader Ilie Bolojan that UDMR would vote for any prime ministerial candidate proposed by president Nicușor Dan.

According to Adevarul.ro, citing sources familiar with the negotiations, Kelemen Hunor told Sorin Grindeanu and Ilie Bolojan that the alliance’s MPs would vote for the prime ministerial candidate proposed by president Nicușor Dan, whoever he might be, Maszol.ro explained, publishing Kelemen Hunor’s denial.

“I did not say that; I did not make such a statement. The UDMR’s position remains that we are waiting for the president to designate a new prime ministerial candidate. PNL, USR and UDMR have a candidate, Siegfried Mureșan. PSD also has a prime ministerial candidate in the person of Sorin Grindeanu. As long as the president does not designate a candidate, we cannot negotiate with PSD, and we will not take a different position: in June, we agreed with PNL and USR on the nomination of Mureșan, and we will stick to this. The rest is all speculation, a fairy tale,” Kelemen Hunor said.

However, Kelemen Hunor also criticised the joint candidate for disappearing after his nomination.

“I spoke at length with Bolojan about this last week. Mureșan. After his nomination, he kicked the president once, PSD once, and then disappeared. We haven’t heard anything from him all summer, and this is unacceptable,” Kelemen Hunor said.

He also criticised the lack of action by the would-be coalition formed by PNL, USR and UDMR. He said he was not aware of any negotiations between the three parties’ joint candidate and potential parliamentary supporters, such as groups of independent MPs and senators, over support for the cabinet he was expected to form.

“On the other hand, PSD was active all summer. They made statements here and there; they negotiated. They also asked me, and I spoke to Grindeanu. I also told him: until the president makes a decision, I will not get out of the common boat in which we sit with PNL and USR next to Siegfried Mureșan,” Kelemen Hunor said.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Manases Sandor)