Iohannis, Dragnea embark on new row after PSD chair accused the President of being involved in his conviction

President Klaus Iohannis retorted to ruling Social Democrat Party chairman Liviu Dragnea, after the latter stated that the President in involved in his conviction to 3.5 years in prison: „It’s a much too higher tightrope for him. He has run out of  political arguments,” Iohannis replied.

„I am not involved in I have never had any dictatorial leanings. It’s concerning. It’s more than obvious the man has taken a much too higher tightrope and he can’t deal with it. With this, Dragnea has run out of all political arguments and is starting personal attacks, against the family. It’s an inadequate approach. If he were just a simple politician, I would consider his approach just as inadequate, but it is very concerning, as this man is leading the largest political party, is the Parliament speaker and is leading the Government through go-between,” Klaus Iohannis said in Brussels.

Asked to comment Dragnea’s insisting with the statements on suspension, even after the revocation of the DNA chief prosecutor, the head of state answered: „I would answer with one word: obsession”.

Referring to the ruling leaders’ accusation that the President would procrastinate the adoption of the justice laws and criminal codes, Iohannis explained: „I am not procrastinating anything! I exert my constitutional prerogatives and I have to do that for the Parliament is badly legislating under the lead of this Dragnea. I will continue to do what the Constitution stipulates (…).”

PSD chair Liviu Dragnea told Antena 3 on Wednesday evening that president Klaus Iohannis had no intention to sign the decree to dismiss the DNA head, but he feared suspension, as he eyes a second mandate as President to preserve his immunity. Moreover, Dragnea claimed the head of state is directly involved in his conviction.

„The suspension was the main reason for he has signed the revocation decree, as I had understood he had no intention to sign it otherwise. He feared suspension, for he has only one goal, to obtain a second presidential mandate to gain immunity so that he should not be held responsible for some deeds (…) the file reclaiming the he obtained a house by forgery proved in court and some hundreds of thousands of euro that he has to give back to the Romanian state,” Dragnea said, while adding that suspension topic is a plan that still stands.