The new PSD chairwoman, PM Viorica Dăncilă has denied during a press conference the existence of an alleged black list as suggested by the former PSD secretary general Codrin Stefanescu. Dancila told the former secretary general that these attacks must stop.
“There is no such black list in PSD, Codrin Ştefănescu mistook his vocation. I think he should have been script writer, it suits him better. This thing must stop”, Dăncilă stated on Friday.
“When you admit you voted against the party and you have top positions in the party, I won’t accept that“, the new PSD leader said, referring to the decision to change Serban Nicolae from the helm of the PSD group in the Senate.
Her statement comes after, a day ago, district 3 mayor Robert Negoita had been suspended from PSD for 6 months, Serban Nicolae had been replaced from the helm of the Senate’s group and after ex-secretary general Codrin Stefanescu had launched harsh criticism against the new PSD leadership.
“I appreciate Şerban Nicolae, but when the party takes a certain decision, it must be respected, either we like it or not. There must be order and determination in a party”, the premier further pointed out.
The new ruling PSD secretary general, Mihai Fifor (photo), has also denied there is a black list aimed to oust several Social Democrats from the party.
Fifor said the whole black list story is nonsense and that nobody is kicking anyone out of the party.
“The black list is a fairy tale. Let’s be serious. Nobody is kicking out Codrin Ștefănescu from the party, or Cătălin Rădulescu, or Liviu Pleșoianu. Has anyone prevented our friend Liviu Pleșoianu from speaking? from expressing himself? He is free to voice his opinions”, Fifor told Antena 3 on Thursday evening.
However, he revealed that PM Viorica Dancila, recently elected as PSD chairwoman, had been offended by Plesoianu’s statements, adding that it is unacceptable to offend a woman, who is prime minister and party leader.
“That’s a little over the top though. It’s one thing to attack a doctrine issue, government measures and another thing to offend. This is unacceptable. First of all, we are talking about a woman. Secondly, she is Romania’s prime minister and thirdly, she is the chair of our party voted by the Congress, either you like it or not. You cannot offend the way our colleague has done, with all do respect for what Liviu Pleșoianu means for PSD”, Fifor argued.
The secretary general said any member can come in the party’s statutory fora to voice his/her discontent.
Ex-PSD secretary general Codrin Ștefănescu, also a close person to Liviu Dragnea, has posted on Facebook the information there is a black list in PSD, and “we are all on it”, disclosing another list will come up, containing the names of ministers and leaders of PSD branches to be ousted.
Names of such minister as Carmen Dan (Interior minister), Razvan Cuc (Transports), Ecaterina Adronescu (Education) and Petre Daea (Agriculture) have been rumored to be on the reshuffle list. Razvan Cuc said he had not received any rebukes regarding his mandate and that he had heard no debates in the party regarding any reshuffle.
Suspended Negoita: No regrets to join the Opposition
As for the suspended district 3 mayor, Robert Negoita said he is considering leaving PSD for good in the light of the latest development, and that he fears nothing, including joining the Opposition.
“The mere fact I have assumed the responsibility to speak and the fear that my stance would be contagious are the reasons that got me suspended from the party”, Negoiță opined.
“What could happen to me? That’s why I have no regrets in joining the opposition. It could not get any worse for me”. Asked if he will remain in PSD, the district 3 mayor said he cannot see him anymore in this formula.
Negoita has been a fierce opponent and critic of the Government led by Viorica Dancila and of ex-PSD chair Liviu Dragnea lately, accusing the Executive of being to blame for the problems encountered by the local administrations.