PNL leader Ilie Bolojan considers that the result of the United States legislative elections, won by the Democrats, will not produce major changes in the foreign policy of the Donald Trump administration in the next two years.
He stated during the Controverse podcast, produced by Spotmedia.ro, that Romania must maintain its strategic relationship with the USA, regardless of the political configuration in Washington, and rejected the possibility that the current situation would lead to an investigation by the American Congress regarding the removal of the government he led.
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Asked whether the Democrats might investigate the alleged involvement of American ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle and some Romanian politicians, including Sorin Grindeanu, in the government change, Bolojan said he does not believe he will be called to explain himself before the US Congress.
“I don’t think such a thing will happen,” stated the PNL president.
Regarding the outcome of the American elections, Bolojan explained that although the Democrats are expected to dominate Congress, the administration’s policy will continue to be mainly determined by the Executive, led by Republican President Donald Trump. However, he expects more dialogue between the two political camps.
“I don’t believe there will be profound policy or approach changes by the United States towards Europe in the next two years,” Bolojan said, recalling that even the Democrats support increased contributions from European states to NATO defense spending.
The PNL leader emphasized that Romania’s relationship with the United States should not depend on the party in power or the majority in Congress. “Regardless of what happens in the United States, Romania has an interest in this partnership being stable and continuing,” he said.
PSD and AUR caused the Government’s fall
Regarding accusations of alleged American interventions in Bucharest’s politics, Bolojan does not want to speculate on things he cannot prove. Instead, he asserted that the responsibility for removing his government lies with PSD, supported by AUR.
“The overthrow of the government I led was an irresponsible action by the Social Democratic Party, supported by AUR – that is certain,” said the former prime minister.
He argued that the Executive was not removed because it violated the governing program, but precisely because it tried to implement it by reducing expenses, eliminating waste, and dismantling client networks.
What he says about the Vertical Corridor and the Doicești reactor project
Bolojan also rejected accusations that he opposed certain American strategic investments. Regarding the Vertical Corridor, he stated that he has continuously supported the project and asked the Energy Minister to promote this initiative in discussions with partners.
Bolojan explained that developing energy interconnections is important so that Romania and other countries in the region have access to multiple supply sources, without depending exclusively on gas transported through Russian pipelines.
Concerning the small modular nuclear reactor project at Doicești, Bolojan explained that his reservations were related to financial risks and contractual conditions, not the partnership with the United States.
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According to the PNL leader, the American company involved in the project did not have the capacity to carry it forward, and the contract did not grant Romania sufficient rights over the technology, patents, and intellectual property to recover the investment.
Bolojan noted that Nuclearelectrica had already allocated over 240 million dollars to the project company, with the risk that Romania would be left only with the land and the feasibility study.
“We did not want to keep burying money,” explained Ilie Bolojan, who described the decision as a rational one, made in Romania’s interest to avoid wasting funds.
“It has nothing to do with the strategic partnership,” Bolojan added, arguing that supporting a strategic investment does not mean accepting any financial and contractual conditions.
Thursday, 4:00 PM, watch Ilie Bolojan on the Controverse podcast, on the SpotMedia/YouTube channel. Alongside journalists Matei Udrea and Emilian Isailă, he discussed the Democrats’ victory in the US Congress and what happened after the fall of the government he led, the accusations of anti-Americanism related to the Vertical Corridor and Doicești, the appointment of Florin Lazăr Vlădică at Cotroceni, and the still-awaited report on the canceled 2024 elections.