Update 4 – PSD Executive Committee postpones decision on restructuring amid scandal. Ioan Denes to take over as Minister of Waters and Forests

The social-democrat leaders have started at 14.00h, on Monday, the Executive Committee sitting, expected to decide upon the fate of Mihai Tudose cabinet and to settle, one way or another, the latest disputes within the party.

In front of PSD offices in Bucharest some ten protesters showed up, while representatives of the National Federation of Revolutionaries asked the gendarmes to take them away, as they lack an approval for such manifestations. Four people have been taken to the Police Precinct 5 to be sanctioned. The protesters claim they showed their IDs benevolently and that the gendarmes abused them.

The ten protesters arrived before 14.00h in front of PSD offices, among them former journalist Malin Bot, who was reading messages to the PSD members going in by an audio portable system.

One of the protesters climbed in a nearby tree to avoid being taken over by the gendarmes.

Decisions postponed

PM Mihai Tudose said in the evening, after the PSD Executive Committee sitting, that he would not give up the issue of Gov’t restructuring and he would file proposals by the end of the month, when another Executive Committee is to be organised in Iasi.

“The restructuring could not take place today,” PM Tudose said.

“I will not give up the idea, I will file a proposal to the next Executive Committee in Iasi, at the end of the month,” the Prime Minister said.

In his turn, in a separate statement, PSD chairman Liviu Dragnea said that issues related to Government reshuffling have been discussed, but not about an assessment of ministers.

“I’ve said, during the past several months, that as we conclude 2017 we will have to conduct an analysis of the ministries with delays in advising projects and on the decisions that would make 2018 a better year for the governance. It could be reshuffling or restructuring, but it could not be both. We discussed today about the future Executive Committee, we need to discuss with our ALDE partners about this issue, as the Government restructuring needs a vote in Parliament,” Liviu Dragnea said.

Dragnea added that an assessment of ministers was not discussed and that there is no tension between him and PM Tudose.

Ioan Denes to replace Doina Pana

The PSD Executive Committee met on Monday to make a decision after Doina Pana resigned as Minister of Waters and Forests, and the Social Democrats will also discuss the opportunity of a broader government restructuring, as well as the dissatisfactions within the party.

Sources quoted by hotnews.ro say PSD Bistrita Senator, Ioan Denes, has been agreed upon by the PSD leadership as the new Minister of Waters and Forests. Deneas was supported by the Bistrita branch.

Denes, 50, moved from PNL to PSD in 2014, after the USL broke up. Denes is at the second term as Senator. Before that, he had been Commercial Director with two private companies in Dej, professor with the Beclean Placement Center and electrician with the Ralway Company (CFR).

The resignation of Doina Pană, Minister of Waters and Forests, generated last week within PSD a debate about the merging of the Ministries of Environment and Waters, but also about the opportunity for a more extensive restructuring of the Executive on this occasion.

Ahead of Monday’s sitting, PSD President, Liviu Dragnea, was criticized on Friday by former Defence Minister Adrian Tutuianu.

“I think I was a good minister, I know well what I did (…) I stayed a little, but I left something behind. I’m sorry I left. I must have disturbed some colleagues. Including the party’s chairman, he probably had some problems because I was very visible and appreciated,” Adrian Ţuţuianu has told a local TV broadcaster.

The need for debates in the party was also highlighted by the PSD Executive President Niculae Bădălău.

PSD Executive President Niculae Bădălau said that a Congress would “cure” PSD’s life, saying that it is good for the Social-Democrats to talk about their problems and say what they want to do.

MEP Cătălin Ivan wrote on Sunday that the National Executive Committee on Monday should ask Liviu Dragnea to resign and organize an extraordinary Congress as a matter of emergency, if the party organism would listen to the members’ dissatisfactions.

“The National Executive Committee, if it was representative and would listen to the dissatisfaction and concerns of party members, this is what it should discuss. A statutory and responsible CEX should demand the resignation of Liviu Dragnea and organize an emergency of the Extraordinary Congress. It will not happen. However, even so, 2018 will be the year when we will get the divorce from Liviu Dragnea,” MEP Cătălin Ivan wrote on Facebook.

Cătălin Ivan said that PSD’s CEX meeting is a “very good” balance sheet for the first year of governance.

Ivan said that 2017 was the year when PSD leader Liviu Dragnea tried to get the absolute power in Romania, avoid the criminal files, wanted to shelter his wealth coming out of obvious corruption deeds, to get rid of any trace of opposition in the party and to ensure his own freedom, “regardless of costs”.

PSD is now preparing to put down its second government, Ivan added.

PSD Chairman Liviu Dragnea claims he supports Mihai Tudose

PSD Chairman, Liviu Dragnea, claimed on Monday, before the sitting, that he suppots PM Tudose and that an extraordinary congress is not needed.

Before the PSD Executive Committee sitting, Dragnea said a government restructuring is necessary and, on the other hand, that he supports PM Tudose at this sitting.

Dragnea added he is not afraid he might lose his position following an extraordinary congress, but such a reunion is not needed.

adrian tutuianudoina panaExecutive President Niculae B?d?lauextraordinary congressformer defence ministerLiviu DragneaMEP C?t?lin Ivanminister of waters and forestsPSD Executive Committeesocial-democrats
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  • Bryan

    You can’t just let Liviu Dragnea go on the way he did for years and then just say “Oooooops! Sorry Romania!”.

    Also an “Extraordinary Congress” sounds like a PSD version of the technocrat government that they supposedly loathed.