Designated Prime Minister Siegfried Mureșan is asking politicians who met with the US Ambassador in Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, to disclose what they discussed and what Romania gained from those contacts. The reaction comes after The Wall Street Journal article about the allegations the diplomat made prior to the fall of the Bolojan Government.
Mureșan does not directly name Sorin Grindeanu and Bogdan Ivan, but the two met with Guilfoyle in Bucharest on March 31. Grindeanu says they discussed an energy project and denies any connection between that meeting and the government’s dismissal. Ivan accuses those raising suspicions of trying to hide their own political failure.
Mureșan wants to know what was discussed
The designated Prime Minister says the American publication's report is serious, and politicians who had contacts with the ambassador must provide explanations. "They must explain exactly what those contacts were, for what purpose, if they helped Romania," Mureșan stated in an interview for Cotidianulanul.
He also demands clarification on whether unfavorable projects for Romania or taxpayers were discussed in these meetings. Mureșan says he wants a partnership with the US where the country's interests are defended on an equal footing.
Ivan rejects accusations and attacks USR
Meanwhile, Bogdan Ivan, former Minister of Energy and participant in the meeting with Guilfoyle, responded with a Facebook post. "Desperate as they lose power, they hallucinate!" he wrote.
Ivan claims that his adversaries are trying to turn the meeting into a conspiracy to divert attention from governance issues. "They are desperate when they see that the designated USR/PNL government has no chance of passing," he asserts.
"We, in PSD, do not need anyone to tell us if we are allowed to do something or not. We conducted an internal consultation with 5,000 local elected officials of the Social Democratic Party. I spoke every day with the people from Bistrița, those who voted for me and sent me there. Should I have asked the Americans for permission to submit a motion against Ilie Bolojan and remove him, as 80% of Romanians expected?" the former minister stated in an intervention on Antena 3.
The former minister defends the Vertical Gas Corridor, the project through which liquefied natural gas brought from the USA to Greece could reach Romania and other countries in the region. He argues that Romania's participation would bring transit revenues and access to gas at competitive prices.
Ivan also rejects the criminal complaint for treason filed against him by USR deputy Alexandru Dimitriu, Grindeanu, and AUR leader George Simion. "I will not give in! On the contrary!" the former minister affirms.
Grindeanu: We discussed about gas
Sorin Grindeanu stated that the meeting with the ambassador focused on the Vertical Gas Corridor, a project in which Romania can play an important transit role. Regarding other suspicions, the PSD leader said they are "pure fabrications."
Sorin Grindeanu rejected the idea of a deal with the Americans to remove the former prime minister. "Neither the Americans, nor the Russians, nor the Illuminati took down Bolojan," the PSD leader said. He maintains that the Bolojan Government fell through the parliamentary vote and reiterated that PSD will not support the Mureșan Government.
The Wall Street Journal reported that during a dinner organized in March in Athens, attended by Greek and American officials, Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle allegedly discussed the imminent fall of the Bolojan Government. According to a person present at the dinner, she reportedly said that the USA can do the same in Greece. "We can do this to any country we want. We can do this here too," she allegedly said. Greek Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou reportedly replied that Americans cannot replace a government elected by citizens. The ambassador's lawyer disputed the description of the exchange.
The Bolojan Government was ousted on May 5 through a vote of no confidence supported by PSD, AUR, and other parliamentarians.