The relationship between representatives of the Romanian state and citizens is toxic and must stop. The danger is that the mechanism of misappropriation of public funds continues, and the increasing damages are paid by each of us through frequent and unjustified tax increases.
The belated resignation of Dragoș Anastasiu, who became deputy prime minister through a political shortcut, the delay in explanations from Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan endanger the reform of public agencies, companies, and institutions.
However, the strange episode has reopened the discussion about the despotic behavior of state representatives towards those working in the private sector, the aggressive pressure they create to ultimately obtain bribes and make business people and their employees dependent on those called to control the enforcement of the law.
Such an episode appeared in the accounts of Dragoș Anastasiu, who claimed to have received hundreds of messages signaling abuses, which also exploded on social media in the days when public opinion debated the case of the vice prime minister "bribery at the ANAF."
"At one point, there were requests for trips from the ANAF official, which resulted in unpaid bills for four years. I did not have information that the bills were not paid, and this exploded. I found out.
I asked why, and I was told out of fear because that person had come to inspect us with shouts and threats to my collaborators and introduced this system of terror, which generated fear," said Dragoș Anastasiu at the press conference.
Recently, this system of terror was well exemplified by the actions of Piedone, the former head of the ANPC (National Consumer Protection Agency), who made a brand out of a brutal behavior towards those he controlled, his duties turning into a continuous and selective humiliation of property owners and employees in the private sector.
Why was the public reaction so strong?
The aggressiveness of state representatives sends a subtle message to the "victims," that if they contribute, that is, if they give bribes consistently and constantly, the attitude will change.
In my opinion, Dragoș Anastasiu had no place at the Cotroceni Palace or the Victoria Palace. He was and continues to be a vulnerability for Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.
Yes, indeed, Marian Neacșu is corrupt, and probably many other PSD ministers and advisors are corrupt, but the social democrats never came to power promising to reform the state or limit corruption.
Today... we face real challenges: a society that needs trust, institutions that must function, and an economy that must deliver results...
Ilie Bolojan, Prime Minister of Romania
Has anyone heard Marcel Ciolacu say that he will dismiss public servants and impose performance criteria for managers of public companies? I don't think even in his worst nightmare has he ever encountered an idea for reform.
PSD has always promised to give, without saying from where, and to wage war on investors and employees in the private sector, subtly warning them even during election campaigns to prepare the bribes.
A large part of the public reacted so strongly to the revelation that a successful businessman had been bribing an ANAF inspector for years and had concealed this when entering public service because both President Nicușor Dan and Ilie Bolojan had promised something entirely different in the electoral campaign, namely that they would try to change this toxic relationship between the state and the citizen.
A victim remains a victim
The tension between the magnitude of promises and behavior has shocked so much. PSD's corruption is a present reality in the daily lives of Romanians for over three decades.
It is unfair to people to tell them that you will try to change something as much as possible under the circumstances and at the same time promote in the executive a person who has continuously participated in the mechanisms of corruption.
In my opinion, Dragoș Anastasiu is a victim of the cancer that has been eating away at our society for decades, a disease deliberately spread by individuals who entered politics with only one goal, to enrich themselves as quickly as possible, stepping on corpses if necessary.
I have been following since Friday, when this issue appeared, what has happened. Mr. Anastasiu came with a proposal, that his resignation is available. I told him - generally, not making decisions hastily, never, but calculating what happens - to think very well for a day or two about what we are going to do.
Ilie Bolojan, Prime Minister of Romania
The relationships between people in state institutions are chaotic and distorted, without any ethics or performance criteria. Simply put, many of the public systems are paralyzed by confrontations between political and mafia groups, blocked by clashes of interest groups with one single goal - to divert as many public funds into their own pockets.
But if Deputy Prime Minister Anastasiu was a victim, with all efforts, he cannot be transformed overnight into a hero fighting against the interests of the political mafia in Romania.
Feeding the octopus
It is hard to understand how Ilie Bolojan, one of the few well-intentioned leaders we have at this time, got involved in such a fierce battle so ill-prepared.
At the first attempt of the Prime Minister to approach the companies and agencies controlled by PSD and associates, they promptly decapitated the associate promoted diligently in recent months.
The successors of the Communist Party know where and how to strike, they have information, relationships, strategies. Nothing is left to chance because the essential objective is to continue draining billions of euros taken from taxpayers to feed an octopus that suffocates the country.