The Bolojan government received the vote of confidence. There were 301 votes in favor, 9 against, and zero abstentions. 233 votes were needed for a majority, and the PSD-PNL-USR-UDMR-minorities coalition has 311 parliamentarians.
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, has already signed the decree appointing the Bolojan government.
Prior to this, Ilie Bolojan's ministers breezed through parliamentary hearings by the specialized committees of Parliament.
Members of the Executive are set to take the oath at 8:00 PM at the Cotroceni Palace, considering that on Tuesday President Nicușor Dan is leaving for The Hague, for the NATO summit.
And the first session of the Bolojan Cabinet is expected to start today at 10:00 PM.
The new government is supported by the PSD-PNL-USR-UDMR-minorities coalition. The Executive has 16 ministries (six portfolios for PSD, four for PNL, four for USR, and two for UDMR). Additionally, the Bolojan government has five deputy prime ministers.
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In front of the joint session, designated Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan declared that we are facing a major test. If Romania continues to borrow for expenses much higher than it can afford, even for salaries and pensions, we risk not being able to pay them at all in the future.
He also stated, "It is appropriate to apologize to our citizens for the situation Romania has reached."
According to Ilie Bolojan, the government program is built on three fundamental pillars:
- Order in public finances, as a basis for avoiding an economic crisis and regaining the trust of investors, markets, and citizens;
- Good governance, as the engine of state reform, ensuring an efficient, responsible, and current-needs-adapted administration;
- Respect for citizens, through quality public services, integrity in public service, and honest social policies that encourage and respect work
Spotmedia.ro has provided the main information and statements from Parliament, following the vote of confidence for the Bolojan government:
18:32 - "On behalf of myself and the team of ministers, I thank you for the trust placed in us. From this evening, after taking the oath, we will do everything in our power to respect this vote, to be in the service of our country, and to respect the Romanian people," said Ilie Bolojan after announcing the vote result.
18:30 - The government received the vote of confidence. There were 301 votes in favor, 9 against, and zero abstentions. 233 votes were needed for a majority.
18:18 - The vote has ended, and the counting of the ballots has begun.
17:45 - Debates have concluded. The secret ballot with balls for the investiture of the government has started.
17:40 - USR Deputy Cătălin Drulă stated that the government to be voted today is obliged to be a government of responsibility, and the alternative is unthinkable, it is collapse. Drulă also mentioned that Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan will need to enter ministries, from day one, with a chainsaw.
"The country is going through a difficult situation. Romania has borrowed far too much, and the country's finances are simply collapsing. The country's budget has been built, in recent years, on lies and illusions. We did not get here as a result of a natural phenomenon. It didn't just 'happen.' Statesmen who were supposed to act as responsible adults abdicated their responsibility.
No one felt it was 'their job' to stop the populism spree. And yes, today we are in a strange situation, let's not avoid the elephant in the room. A situation where a good part of the parties that created the problem are now called upon to solve it. But perhaps this is precisely an opportunity and a first after the Revolution," said Cătălin Drulă.
17:37 - AUR parliamentarians have left the joint session for the investiture of the Bolojan government.
17:35 - UDMR leader, Hunor Kelemen, told parliamentarians that people are living in "interesting times," referring to international crises and the situation in Romania. "We are living in interesting times (...) we have uncertainty everywhere in the world," Kelemen Hunor said.
"We will vote to invest in a new government, we will vote for a complicated coalition, perhaps the most complicated after the government formed around the Democratic Convention," explained the UDMR president.
Kelemen Hunor also advocated for a government that "puts the state on a weight-loss regimen" with fair approaches regarding unjustified expenses.
In the UDMR leader's view, the prime minister must be a "credible statesman" who will "courageously" tell society why such measures need to be taken.
"We have heard that this government will be a sacrificial one. Yes and no! It will be a sacrificial government if it cannot outline a vision and regain people's trust. It won't be if it shows people that institutions work for them, (...) if it helps the honest and just to build their future predictably," Kelemen Hunor stated.
17:25 - Raluca Turcan, representing the PNL parliamentary group, advocated for a modern, efficient administration in the service of the citizen.
She emphasized that the vote for the government's investiture is, in fact, a vote for the direction in which Romania will go: "Difficult measures are ahead that require solidarity. But the administration must become the benchmark of functionality - clear, simple, efficient - and respect for people must be a state policy, not just a slogan."
17:15 - AUR leader, George Simion, took the floor:
"Everything is wonderful, sublime, the PSD-USR governing coalition. Congratulations, I don't think you will last the year. It's the desperate last act of those who staged the coup on December 6. You want to cut 150,000 central government employees and you've appointed 5 deputy prime ministers as if God hasn't had enough of you.
God has had enough of you and I don't know how the Earth will swallow you for what you've done. Increasing VAT, mocking Romanian businesses. You will pay for it. We do not participate in this charade, we rise and leave," said Simion.
17:10 - Senator AUR Petrișor Peiu speaks:
"The budget deficit tripled last year, the public debt as well. Someone has managed the country very poorly, escapes unpunished, and instead, others have to pay the bill. The government is large for Europe - 20 people. The number of deputy prime ministers increases from 3 to 5. The reduced VAT rate increases from 5% to 9%.
Where there was 9% VAT, it goes up to 19%. Excise duties increase by 10%. The dividend tax rate increases to 16%. We have a gross result reported to turnover double for small and medium-sized companies, namely Romanian entrepreneurial ones, compared to large, specifically foreign companies, to clarify who will pay the dividend tax," Peiu stated.
17:00 - Sorin Grindeanu took the floor:
Sorin Grindeanu stated that PSD assumes governance for a stable Romania continuing its development.
"PSD has never shied away from responsibility. Today we start a political cohabitation that I wish to be stable in the next three and a half years. PSD assumes governance for a stable Romania continuing its development. We are leaving the damaging interim era and entering a period of realistic solutions.
We must have the courage to reset to get through this difficult economic period together. From the desire to do good, some measures taken in the past have led to some of today's imbalances," Grindeanu stated.
He asserts that politicians must have "the courage to reset to get through this difficult economic period together."
"It is true that from the desire to do good, some measures taken in the past have led to some of today's imbalances. However, I assure you that all measures were taken by the parties that formed coalitions in the past, in good faith, for the benefit of Romanians, but in the context of that time. It is difficult to maintain perfect balance, and the Social Democratic Party must honestly assume its part for the past.
However, with all this, PSD has been and will remain a party of the people, a party of those who want to live in a better country, with well-paid jobs, quality education for children, and accessible healthcare services for all. In everything we have done and will do, our duty is to be loyal to Romanians, both those in the country and those abroad. This is the social democrats' vision for the next 4 years of governance," added the interim leader of the social democrats.
According to him, PSD will be a partner in a government coalition, "even if other political formations may sometimes have different visions."
16:48 - Ilie Bolojan took the floor:
"It is a great responsibility for me to come before you as the designated Prime Minister and to ask for your vote at a decisive moment for the future of our country."
Bolojan thanked the parties that managed to reach an agreement and President Nicușor Dan for his trust. He assured Romanians that he guarantees them that efforts and reforms will begin with the state and political clientele.
The designated Prime Minister stated that he will focus on the urgencies he has to manage.
Bolojan outlined three directions:
- order in public finances
- good governance as the engine of state reform
- respect for citizens
Bolojan acknowledges that some measures may not be popular, but without them, Romania risks entering a zone of budgetary insecurity, with high costs for people and companies.
"Romania must successfully navigate through this difficult period. We will focus on restoring budgetary balance, absorbing European funds, and supporting the business environment."
"It is clear to everyone that Romania can no longer follow the path it has been on until now.
Everything depends on our willingness to act correctly, without electoral calculations. This program proposes a different approach, without populism, without improvisation, without privileges."
Romania has been led for too long without a long-term perspective. We are facing a major test. It is appropriate to apologize to the citizens for the situation Romania has reached."
The designated Prime Minister emphasized that if Romania continues to borrow for expenses much higher than it can afford, even for salaries and pensions, we risk not being able to pay them at all in the future.
16:42 - The agenda and work schedule were voted on electronically.
16:36 - The session began with the national anthem. There are 371 senators and deputies present out of a total of 464.
16:33 - Ilie Bolojan has arrived in the plenary hall of Parliament.