Split talks on the national defence strategy due to row over PM’s corruption charges

During the meeting with the leaders of the parliamentary parties on Romania’s National Defence Strategy on Monday evening, President Klaus Iohannis said that rigor, clarity and accuracy need to be restored in the regulatory framework on national security, while highlighting the duty to enhance Romania’s strategic credibility both on domestic level, but mostly on the external one.

“During talks, the President of Romania presented the vision underpinning the Strategy, as well as the main novelties that come with it. Mr. President Iohannis underscored that the National Defence Strategy addresses the citizens, society overall and state institutions, and that rigor, clarity and accuracy need to be restored in everything that has to do with the regulatory framework on national security. The novelty of the Strategy stems from the context of developments in the region, from its preventive dimension, the concept of extended national security, from the joint efforts of the responsible institutions, and the definition of the national security interests and goals in a manner that takes into account the citizens’ and the society’s expectations,” the Presidential Administration informed in a release.

During the consultations with the representatives of political parties, Iohannis highlighted the duty to enhance Romania’s strategic credibility on both domestic and external level, considering the new regional and international security challenges and risks.

Under the law, the President of Romania is required to submit the country’s National Defence Strategy to Parliament for debate and adoption, within six months at the most since taking the oath of office.

Consultations to carry out the new National Defence Strategy started in February this year and included talks and debates with representatives of the Parliament of Romania, of the civil society and the academic bodies, the abovementioned source informs.

On the other hand, the debates on the national defence strategy held at Cotroceni were marked by the recent row between the ruling coalition and the opposition over the corruption allegations against PM Victor Ponta. Thus, the Liberals informed previously in the morning that they wouldn’t accept to share the negotiation table with the PSD ruling party head by the prime minister. So, the Presidential Administration needed to revise the debates’ program, convening the ruling parties and PNL at two different hours.

PNL co-president Alina Gorghiu informed she would also raise the question of PM Ponta during the talks with President Iohannis, arguing the premier has no legitimacy anymore and suggesting there is one exit from this situation: “either Victor Ponta’s resignation or his removal.”