Sorin Grindeanu continued his attack on Dominic Fritz, while George Simion targeted Nicușor Dan through the new ANI (National Integrity Agency) Law, voted in the Chamber of Deputies.
If you had any expectations from political leaders that they would be concerned with important issues, such as the country’s energy situation or the profound and most likely irreversible climate change, you had them in vain.
In a similar alliance to the one during the no-confidence motion, PSD and AUR parliamentarians, supported by other extremists in Parliament, voted for a new integrity law that will most likely be declared unconstitutional.
This resolution to transparency issues regarding the conduct, salaries, and properties of those working in the public domain represents an important component in the architecture of exercising mandates in the European Union.
Transparency is the main tool used to limit corruption.
Over the past 15 years, political leaders in Romania, in complicity with magistrates and CCR judges, have taken care to destroy ANI, hide the assets of dignitaries, and practically make civil control over the exercise of public functions impossible.
Therefore, a new integrity law has become a mandatory milestone to be met in the PNRR, associated with a sum of 700 million euros.
Hidden Threats in Amendments
Due to excessive deficit and political instability, Romania would be rapidly downgraded by rating agencies in case the financial flow from the European Union would be choked off.
The fear of an economic collapse is the only reason Romanian parliamentarians are working in August, trying to fulfill Romania's legislative obligations assumed when signing the PNRR contract.
By August 31, our country must meet all remaining milestones in order to submit the final funding request, worth approximately 8 billion euros.
Without this money, the budget is up in the air, and economic stability is in great danger.
However, the precarious situation does not stop Sorin Grindeanu and George Simion from rolling out their destructive political strategies, hoping to persuade Nicușor Dan to accept the formalization of a PSD-AUR political alliance.
"This legislative loophole allowed the transfer of goods or interests to spouses or partners, diminishing the effectiveness of public control and creating conditions for circumventing legal provisions. Extending the declaration obligation to these categories, strictly limited to positions of maximum visibility and decision-making power, closes this loophole and strengthens the integrity regime…," according to a statement from the extremist party.
Through the amendment submitted to the ANI Law, which also requires the "life partner" to declare their assets, not just the spouse, George Simion conveyed to Nicușor Dan that he will not miss the slightest opportunity to suspend the head of state when the occasion arises.
Additionally, Sorin Grindeanu submitted an amendment targeting Dominic Fritz, the mayor of Timișoara, requesting that a final judicial decision of incompatibility be immediately followed by the loss of the respective position.
It is very hard to believe that, should the law pass the Senate, which is the decisive chamber, constitutional judges will find enough arguments not to reject it and send it back to Parliament for modifications.
The political message conveyed by Grindeanu and Simion from the Chamber of Deputies is a simple one, although disguised in the amendments of a law, that there is a PSD-AUR majority, and if Nicușor Dan delays the decision to appoint the Social Democratic leader as prime minister, the two parties could trigger the president's impeachment procedure.
PSD and AUR Battling for the Same Electorate
Unfortunately, Nicușor Dan is completely overwhelmed by the situation. His isolation at Cotroceni Palace is becoming increasingly visible. Now, it manifests as a sort of stubbornness, as he tries to prove to himself rather than to others that he still has solutions, but in reality, he has run out of them.
Even putting a new technocrat government back on the negotiation table, as is happening now, according to political sources, will not be a solution for exiting the crisis.
If such a government is ultimately supported by UDMR, USR, PNL, and PSD, shortly after validation, it will be fiercely attacked by both PSD and AUR.
The Social Democrats and Simion's extremists are now fighting for the same electorate, one that is disoriented, affected by the endless border war, bombarded with panic on social networks and tabloid TV channels.
This social segment represents at most 40% and is the only one that can still be accessed by the two parties with compromised credibility in the middle-class, more educated, and pro-European zone.
Currently, PSD no longer hopes to achieve even 20% in the upcoming parliamentary elections, but to maintain a 15%, a percentage obtained along populist lines because it has nothing else to offer with the current set of leaders tainted by corruption.
In the Wolf's Mouth
For Simion, the only way is to follow the nationalist-extremist line, hoping that the effect of Donald Trump's downfall, as well as that of Putin, will not come before 2028.
This is one of the reasons why AUR is targeting early elections. The fear of a change in the international political atmosphere is evident within the party led by George Simion.
Nicușor Dan has alienated his electorate through chaotic behavior, putting himself in the wolf's mouth. His move to play the PSD card to "get rid of" Bolojan proved fatal, and now it will be difficult for him to dissociate himself from Grindeanu without being in real danger of suspension.
Selected to be a driver of development and a national leader, he quickly turned into an element of instability, clinging to any favorable context, like a drowning man clutching at a straw, in an attempt to regain some of the lost trust.
Instead of being the one who inspires people and creates national solidarity in difficult times, the president still does not understand his role and the mission given to him by the citizens.
In a statement made a few days ago, after the Government passed the challenging country rating test, there is an optimism that sounds false to a disoriented, disappointed, and perspective-less public.
"Dear Romanians, I fully understand your difficulties and worries. I know that the purchasing power has decreased and that you are exasperated by sterile political quarrels. However, let us look at the moment we are in with balance. Even though we are going through a difficult period, Romania is stabilizing financially, and the measures taken will yield results," stated the President from Cotroceni Palace.