Ciprian Ciucu is about to establish a majority in the General Council. According to “Adevărul” information, the new general mayor reached an agreement with PMP, the party founded by Traian Băsescu, which could tip the balance in his favor in the CGMB.
The mathematics in the General Council turns out to be much more complicated for Ciprian Ciucu than he imagined on election night. Euforic, the one who at that time was going to be elected general mayor, conveyed to the people of Bucharest that he wanted a solid majority, on the model of the governing coalition, of which PSD, PNL, USR and REPER would be part.
The first meeting as general mayor represented an awakening to reality for Ciprian Ciucu. An ad-hoc alliance formed by PSD, AUR, PUSL and PMP councilors blocked, by abstaining, several important projects on the agenda, including the increase in fares charged by the Bucharest Transport Company. USR voted with the liberals, as did REPER. The surprise, however, came from the PMP advisors. Although immediately after the elections they promised support to Ciprian Ciucu, at the vote they joined the “opposition” formed by PSD, AUR and PUSL.
How PMP got twisted
The General Council has 55 councilors. Therefore, Ciucu would need a minimum of 28 votes to pass his draft decision. Therefore, if PSD, AUR and PUSL remain in the opposition, the general mayor has only the option of ensuring his majority with the other parties.
According to “Adevărul” information, Ciucu reached an agreement with PMP to support the projects in the General Council. In exchange, general councilor Ștefan Florescu has already been appointed as public administrator of Sector 6.
Ștefan Florescu started his political career as a personal adviser to Cristian Popescu Piedone, mayor of Sector 4 at that time. Between 2010 and 2016, he was general director of the Sector 4 Markets Administration, being also president of the Sector 6 organization of the Conservative Party, founded by Dan Voiculescu. In 2012, he was declared incompatible by ANI, given that, along with public functions, he was director of three commercial companies. He ran unsuccessfully for the position of mayor of Sector 6 in 2012, 2016 and 2020. He was also accused of ties to the underworld, after he sent a wreath to Fane Spoitoru’s funeral.
Mathematics from the Council
USR (12 councillors), PNL (7 councillors), REPER (4 councillors), PMP (3 councillors) and FD (2 councillors) together have 28 councillors. This is only in theory, because REPER is not currently in full form. After the death of general councilor Cezar Cobianu, Dacian Cioloș’s party has only 3 councillors. A draft decision to validate the mandate of Georgiana Diță, the one who will replace Cezar Cobianu, is the first included on the agenda of the regular meeting scheduled for March 26.
The move of force attempted by the PSD
Just on Tuesday, a monstrous scandal took place in the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest. Led by the mayor of Sector 4, Daniel Băluță, PSD forced the adoption of a draft decision that stipulates that Bucharest residents pay less when hot water and thermal energy are not delivered at the temperatures specified in the contract.
“We have to do justice, and we cannot do justice with such people who block initiatives of this kind. Hot water is for everyone, regardless of whether they vote or not, regardless of whether they are on the right or on the left. From today, this building of the Capital City Hall has turned into <
Băluță announced that the PSD will file criminal complaints for abuse of office on behalf of the members of the city hall apparatus who did not take the steps for the project to reach the vote, accusing them of forming an “organized criminal group led by the mayor general Ciprian Ciucu”. In reply, the secretary of the Bucharest municipality, Georgiana Zamfir, replied to Băluță that she “respected the legal procedures exactly”.
However, as “Adevărul” previously explained, the initiative does not bring major changes, given that Termoenergetica is still obliged to grant compensation for the delivery of the heating agent below the contractual parameters. The only novelty would be the updating of the supply diagrams, which would be carried out following some studies.
Practically, the real stake of the meeting was PSD’s attempt to impose its control in the General Council.
