Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan declared, on Thursday evening, on Digi24, that he does not intend to dismiss the Minister of Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu, in the context of the scandal regarding the inadvertences in his CV. Moreover, Bolojan stated that he sent Moșteanu a message of encouragement: “I told him “Keep your head up”.”
The Minister of Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu. PHOTO: Mediafax
“The ministers of this government, as in all governments, are proposals of the political parties that are part of the government arch and, therefore, Mr. Moșteanu is also a proposal of a political party. I tried during this whole period not to work with CVs, not to work with diplomas, not to go see what the ministers have graduated, but I tried to work with the ministers in office, trying that, together, respecting each of us individually, let’s do the best we can, under the given conditions, both for the Government as a whole and, of course, for Romania. And I must admit that, apart from these aspects that I also heard today, which really, as Mr. Moșteanu stated, are not likely to put him, let’s say, in a favorable situation, I had a good collaboration with him during this period. Also, a problem that we have in many areas, especially when there is intense work in certain areas, is the stability in positions. If we have done something wrong in all these years, apart from other things, it has been the too high frequency of replacing ministers. Think that if you have a minister who stays in the post for a few months or a year, no matter who that minister is, he has no way to deliver, because he needs time to negotiate contracts, to make tenders, to “You come with projects. I understand that he is in Bosnia. I had a discussion with him today.” Bolojan explained.
The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of continuity at the level of the Ministry of Defense, in the context of negotiations for the Safe program: “Think that in the field of defense we are in the middle of negotiating the Safe program, a very important program that involves several ministries, but the Ministry of Defense has an important component. Basically, 70% of this program belongs to this ministry and then it is very important that there is continuity so that things move forward. I hope that these days things will be clarified, that is, they have to explain more than he did, maybe explain in such a way that clarify these aspects, which is serious enough for him to withdraw from his position. I said to him, ‘Keep your head up!’ in a team, to be a factor of cohesion and of keeping people together in the Government.”
Asked if Moșteanu should step down, the prime minister said: “It’s a decision he makes.”
