After the censure motion by which the Bolojan Government was dismissed, the National Political Bureau of the PNL adopted, on May 5, a resolution that provides for the party’s transition into opposition and the cessation of any governing association with the PSD. At the local level, however, the views of the liberal mayors remain divided. “Adevărul” talked to four PNL mayors about the political crisis and to find out their points of view in relation to a possible restoration of the governing coalition with the PSD.
Some of the mayors support a definitive break with the social democrats and a repositioning of the party in order to regain political credibility, while other mayors plead for the maintenance of participation in governance, arguing that this would be necessary to protect projects financed by European funds and to avoid a possible economic crisis.
The Mayor of Slatina: “The responsibility of the government belongs to those who brought down the Government”
Mario De Mezzo, the mayor of Slatina, believes that the political responsibility rests with those who supported the censure motion and that the PNL must choose between the opposition and a government with Ilie Bolojan.
“Those who overthrew the Government have the responsibility to form a governing team. And, at this moment, the PNL should either go into the opposition and let those who took it upon themselves to bring down the Government show what they can do, or remain in government under the conditions that the PNL imposes, with Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and without those who contributed to the downfall of the Government alongside them. Everyone has personal points of view, often based on interests personal. And I don’t mean this in the bad sense of the word, but in the sense of the calculations that each of us makes.” says Mario De Mezzo
Slatina’s mayor believes that attachment to positions explains the differences in positioning within the party.
“Why some who are in certain seats think that they should still remain in government is easy for everyone to understand. I think that certain positions, which we all say are transitory, should be left more easily, especially since those who often hold on to them are the very ones who say they are transitory positions. I mean, let’s understand that they really are transitory.” says the mayor
In his opinion, the electoral success of the PNL in Slatina was built on a firm opposition to the PSD.
“First of all, the identity. I tell you that, for example, in the municipality of Slatina, the PNL is highly appreciated precisely for the fight it has had with the Social Democratic Party for 3 years. A bayonet fight, in which we constantly exposed the corruption and incompetence and the arrogance or administrative contempt that the PSD has in Olt county. This is the reason why Slatina PNL won, when I ran for mayor. It is the first victory of the PNL in Slatina from the Second World War. And this, in such a powerful PSD fiefdom, was only possible because the fight was genuine. Sending Paul Stănescu’s child home was only possible because the fight was genuine.” says the liberal mayor.
Mario De Mezzo concludes that the re-credibility of the PNL depends on the continuation of this line of political confrontation with the PSD.
“And the first thing the PNL will gain will be re-credibility, something that is already happening. Look, people are starting to appreciate thanks to the fight that Ilie Bolojan has in exposing the corruption, incompetence, arrogance and administrative contempt that the PESEDists have. This fight is re-credibility of the PNL at the national level”. emphasizes Mario De Mezzo.
The rupture of PSD, supported in Rădăuți
Bogdan Loghin, the mayor of Rădăuți, supports the PNL’s decision to distance himself from the PSD, appreciating that the current collaboration formula was affected by the lack of commitment on the part of the social democrats.
“My opinion is that the measure that was voted in the party at the national level is the best, that is, as far as possible from the PSD. Now, in the form in which I cannot pronounce, because I do not have all the data that the center has. But it can be seen with the naked eye. Everything they tried, all the reforms that tried to be made and were actually made, were made with great sacrifices. This tandem in which you go with the PSD only for the PSD to occupy functions, that we all know that this is what is wanted, and on the other hand, the flight from assumption, is not for gain”, says the mayor of Rădăuți.
The Bolojan-Orban pact: The secret plan for the reunification of the PNL and the elimination of PSD influence
The mayor also criticizes the lack of coherence within the coalition, which he considers a factor of instability and public confusion.
“All the work is canceled through the quarrels and this double language of the PSD, as Prime Minister Bolojan also said. One is discussed in the committees and then there are completely different statements in the public space. It is not right. We also disturb the population, because especially in these complicated times people look at the political parties and what they declare. And if the language is not common and is not assumed by all parties, it is not useful”. says Bogdan Loghin.
He also argues that local administrations should focus more on European funds and less on dependence on the central budget.
“I would suggest to the respective mayors, because I am still not rehabilitated in the PNL. You know very well that I supported Nicușor Dan as president and Ilie Bolojan as prime minister and I was expelled from the PNL, but I would tell all the mayors to be more diligent in the area of European funds than in the area of waiting, I don’t know, for a project from the CNI or elsewhere. From the personnel point of view, everyone complains that it is not possible. At the municipality Radauti, when that ordinance came, we were 64 people below the limit required by the Government through the prefectures. So, in some places we can perform, and in others it’s as if we are assisted town halls, with an outstretched hand to the Government.”emphasizes Bogdan Loghin.
The mayor of Bran: “If we remained in the opposition, it would not necessarily be a wrong thing”
For his part, Cosmin Feroiu, the mayor of Bran commune, Brașov county, says he supports the decision adopted by the PNL leadership.
“Our decision-makers at the top know better what is good for us, for our communities and for this country. And if they decide to rejoin the coalition, they have our support. If they decide to remain in opposition, they also have our support.”Cosmin Feroiu transmitted.
At the same time, the mayor of Bran believes that a possible transition to the opposition would not necessarily represent a negative scenario, but even an opportunity for political clarification.
“I personally believe that even if we remained in opposition it would not necessarily be a wrong thing. If we were in power, if we did not understand each other and if someone else assumed that this government did not take appropriate measures, then let’s let those who caused this crisis run the country better and enjoy their results together.” he said.
The mayor of Cavnic: “It is imperative that we enter the government”
Instead, Vladimir Petruț, the mayor of Cavnic, Maramureș county, Ilie Bolojan’s challenger, claims that the party should return to government alongside the PSD.
“It is imperative that we enter the government, because we have a lot of projects that must be closed through PNRR and Anghel Saligny and, more than that, we cannot throw the country into chaos. Because you see the chaos we are in now, with this deficit, the last place in Europe, they have shown that the measures were not popular and were not good”. the mayor emphasized.
Dan Motreanu explains why the PNL rejects the option of a technocrat prime minister: “In September we will have another political crisis”
The mayor warns that a prolonged political crisis could favor the rise of GOLD.
“If we now go into opposition and throw the country into chaos. AUR will lead with PSD or with I don’t know which Party PACE or Adevăr, or what they are called more recently, because now we no longer have parties that participated in the elections, but parties established overnight. We risk throwing the country even more if people who have no experience come to lead it. And Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă should understand here that a step to the side does not necessarily mean an exclusion from the decision, but the recognition of the fact that the local administration is a little different from the national administration and the leadership of the country”he transmitted.
In his view, the political solution should involve the appointment of another liberal prime minister and the restoration of a stable governing formula.
“The PNL should come up with another name for prime minister, because for now there is a protocol that has not been denounced or announced as canceled. And then, according to the protocol, the PNL must nominate a prime minister, and the PSD, USR and UDMR must approve and together form a government to rule Romania”. stated Vladimir Petruț.
Moreover, the mayor claims that the economic measures adopted by the Bolojan government have seriously affected the country’s economy.
“This is my opinion, because we are in a very bad situation if we look at the deficit that has affected us. Companies are closing. I’ll give you an example: I’m from Maramureș. We have a commercial company that had 6,300 employees on December 31. Now it has fired 1,400 people and asked for insolvency. Following discussions with them, against the background of increased taxes from last year until now, because then when you increased the VAT, the excise duty, it all affects the big taxpayers, because it has been shown that it was not a good measure. Now 6000 people will go home and go into unemployment.” emphasized the mayor of Cavnic, Vladimir Petruț.
