Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Mureșan puts pressure on the PSD ahead of the investiture vote. He warns that rejecting the Government would deepen the political crisis and pave the way for early elections. If the social democrats were to vote against alongside extremist parties, Mureșan says, the credibility of the PSD as a pro-European party would be called into question.
Siegfried Mureșan submitted, on Saturday, to the Parliament the list of ministers and the government program.
The Prime Minister-designate says he has the support of the 170 parliamentarians from the PNL, USR, and UDMR, the parties that have proposed ministers for the future cabinet. He has also discussed with the group of national minorities, and a new meeting is scheduled for early next week.
"PSD will face the test of truth"
Mureșan argues that the PSD has reasons to vote for the Government, including after analyzing the social measures in the program. "The test of truth, next week, will be faced by the PSD. They currently bear the responsibility for resolving the political crisis in Romania," he stated.
"If they do not vote for this government, then the crisis will deepen, paving the way for early elections," Mureșan warned. He specified that if his cabinet is also rejected, it would be the second investiture request rejected by Parliament, after the Veștea Cabinet. The Prime Minister-designate says he does not see a quick alternative solution, and although the President has so far ruled out early elections, voters could be called upon to decide on a new parliamentary majority.
According to the Constitution, the dissolution of Parliament is only possible if 60 days have passed since the first investiture request and at least two requests have been rejected. The decision belongs to the President, following the consultations provided for by the Constitution.
Mureșan announced that he will send the government program with all 372 measures to Sorin Grindeanu on Saturday, and he is awaiting a discussion with the PSD leadership after Grindeanu's return to Bucharest. The Prime Minister-designate says he has already conveyed the main directions of the program to the social democrats, and so far, the PSD has not communicated a final decision regarding the investiture vote.
What he says about a possible boycott
Asked about the possibility that PSD parliamentarians might be present to ensure the quorum but not vote, Mureșan said he expects them to participate in the procedure.
"It would be strange for the party led by the President of the Chamber of Deputies to boycott a session of Parliament and a vote in the Romanian Parliament," he stated. The Prime Minister-designate described a potential abstention from voting as a lack of respect for Parliament and "a hostile act" towards the President of Romania, who designated a candidate to form the Government.