Fomer premier Dacian Ciolos met the Save Romania Union (USR) on Thursday to talk on a potential collaboration. Political sources told local news agencies that Ciolos is also to meet representatives of the National Liberal Party.
Sources with USR revealed that the former technocrat prime minister would launch an NGO that will provide USR with expertize and staff to help the Union to position itself in Parliament and to deliver an activity as opposition party.
“The NGO will provide USR and other with papers and people who can help the party with the opposition work,” the sources stated. The NGO would also have expertize resources that could be useful for USR to position itself in Parliament.
The meeting was held at the USR’s parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies and was the first on this topic.
Dacian Ciolos was the image vector of the two parties during the electoral campaign of general elections in Romania.
Asked if he is inviting Dacian Ciolos to join USR, the Union chairman Nicusor Dan stated after the elections that he is convinced that Ciolos needs some time to think, as he is in favour of “stable, long-term matters”.
Former PM Ciolos is expected to also meet PNL. However, the meeting is in limbo, as several Liberals voiced their discontent about a potential partnership with the former premier.
PNL deputy Mihai Voicu posted a tough statement on Facebook against Ciolos, saying that “a certain gentleman” who has said he would not put his name on the PNL’s electoral posters, acussing the party that it is abusively using his image, is now launching collaboration proposals. “He mentions something on the Romania 100 platform. Well, we lost elections with this platform. Thanks, but no thanks!” reads Voicu’s post.
The PNL interim chairwoman Raluca Turcan stated that former PM Dacian Ciolos had phoned her to have a discussion with the party if the Liberals consider it ‘welcome’, stating that there is nothing set in the party yet and that there are people “expressing different view” on that.
“We don’t have a decision about meeting Ciolos for now. I’ll talk with my colleagues about its opportunity,” Turcan said.
As for Mihai Voicu’s statement, the interim chairwoman underlined that there are more opinions inside the Liberal Party, adding that some consider that the former premier should have been more actively involved in the campaign for the general elections, while others say that the party would rather put its own house in order.