PM Ponta: PNL is not ready to rule. Liberals eye power shift “sooner than premier thinks”

PM Victor Ponta thinks that the National Liberal Party (PNL) is not ready to rule while confiding that no member of the ruling coalition would support the no confidence motion that the Liberals have in store for the Ponta-led Cabinet in February. More over, Ponta added that President Iohannis did not tell him anything about a Liberal Government, as he knows a head of state cannot change the parliamentary majority.

“I am definitely not afraid (of any non confidence motion), but the Opposition has every right to look for more votes, to convince lawmakers and to bring beside them about 140 MPs in order to pass the no confidence motion,” Ponta told Romania TV on Sunday night.

Asked if President Iohannis has ever expressed option for a Liberal Government during the recent meetings, the Romanian Prime Minister answered that Iohannis has never mentioned a word on this topic. “He knows very well that it is not the President who changes the majority in the Parliament. If Basescu had been able change it, he would have definitely done it. It is not the President’s responsibility to change a government that has just been voted by a consistent majority on December 15,” the premier explained.

Questioned if PNL is ready to come into power now, Ponta said he doesn’t think it is, resuming the idea that it is not up to President Iohannis to change the Government, constitutionally speaking.

PNL leader Gorghiu: We will govern sooner than PM Ponta could imagine

On the other hand, the Liberals think the opposite as far as their capacity of ruling is concerned. No later than Friday, Alina Gorghiu, co-chair of the National Liberal Party (PNL) said Liberals would govern sooner than incumbent Prime Minister could imagine, criticizing Ponta for trying to turn the communication with President Klaus Iohannis into an image campaign, instead of practicing real democracy.

‘We’re talking about a PSD [ruling Social Democrat Party] lacking legitimacy and credibility, and doing — in my opinion — an upsetting, yet transparent thing, namely trying to change its image strategy or public communication strategy; you see Victor Ponta almost pious in certain public appearances, but I think actually nothing has changed inside PSD,’ Gorghiu said on Friday in Adevarul newspaper’s “Live” webcast.

She pointed out PNL has a very good moment, as it gave the country’s president and is currently carrying out a major fusion with the Democrat Liberal Party (PDL).

‘PNL has to produce the government (…) PNL has the obligation to give president Iohannis a partner at the Victoria Palace [Government’s seat] who will institutionally collaborate with the Romanian Presidency, with all the institutions in Romania, so that we can guarantee normal proceedings and a construction strategy. (…) PNL is clearly determined to take office (…),’ the Liberal leader asserted.

According to Gorghiu, the only way to topple a government is a no confidence motion, reiterating that PNL will submit such a motion after the presentation of the governing programme, scheduled on February 28. Yet, she admitted the motion could only pass talks with the other parties in the Parliament, while assuring though that PNL will not accept MPs migrating from other parties.

Gorghiu also accused Ponta that is obsessed with staying in power. ‘The current situation in the PSD is like a sand castle that would be shattered by the smallest wave. Right now, PSD lacks credibility; Victor Ponta does nothing more than clinging to his chair at the Victoria Palace,’ Gorghiu stated.