PM Ponta ready for discharge, yet to resume activity in 28 days

Vice premier Oprea to take over prime minister duties.

PM Victor Ponta informed on Sunday that the doctors that operated him decided he could be discharged, but he would resume the duties deriving from his position in 28 days. Ponta also said he would ask president Iohannis to lodge  the prime minister responsibilities to vice premier Gabriel Oprea during this time, including the duty of chairing the Government weekly sittings.

PM Ponta made all this statements in a Facebook post, yet without mentioning for how long he was to stay in Turkey. He explained that he was to follow the check up procedures for the next seven days, including monitoring and bandaging.

In the letter to be sent to President Iohannis, Ponta points out he underwent a left knee a surgery that couldn’t be delayed and that the post-operative treatment imposes rest under medical surveillance and this is the reason for asking him to assign vice premier Oprea the prime minister’s responsibilities as of June 22.

“I will have to follow physiotherapy and recovery treatments (…) I will be able to resume normal activity in maximum 28 days, while going on with my recovery for six months,” Ponta wrote on Facebook.

However, Liberals have slammed the premier’s announcement asking him to resign “today”.

“Victor Ponta is backing away, in an indign version. Despite his medical situation, I think prime minister Victor Ponta wants to buy time, as he doesn’t find other escape of the serious situation we have to face because of him. It’s a kind of self suspension, after he has been trying all possible and impossible tricks,” PNL co-president Alina Gorghiu posted on Facebook.

“Whenever he is coming back, whatever he is delegating, Victor Ponta should file his resignation. He is nothing but a prime minister in exile now, who is trying a victimisation campaign by fax. Ponta should resign today! We’ll accept his resignation also by fax,” the Liberal head added.

Former president Traian Basescu also attacked Ponta, telling Antena 3 late on Sunday that president Klaus Iohannis and PM Victor Ponta have made a deal even before Ponta went to Turkey, through which the premier is taking a ‘moment of respite’, ‘a life belt’ so that he shouldn’t have to resign amidst anti-corruption charges against him.

Victor Ponta promptly retorted at the same TV station, saying the idea of him undergoing surgery in Turkey just to get away with the National Anti-corruption Directorate for a while is “an idiocy claimed by Basescu’s supporters”, adding he has no intention gto resign.

“What would I have possivle gained by leaving in Turkey? Two weeks?”, Ponta said.

He further explained that he chose to undergo surgery in Turkey as he needed “some peace” and because in Romania he would have benefitted of a preferential treatment, while in Turkey he was treated as a regular patient. “Nicu Banicioiu (Health minister) told me that for Mrs. ambassador of the Netherlands an entire floor had been blocked at the University Hospital. I think if they were operating me, two floors would be restricted in the hospital,” the premier commented.