The PSD list of candidates for EP revealed

The Social Democrat leaders have voted on Monday the list of candidates for the European elections. Rovana Plumb (currently minister of European Funds), Carmen Avram (journalist) and Claudiu Manda (chairman of the committee for the SRI control) are opening the list.

Chris Terheş, Dan Nica, Maria Grapini, Dragoş Benea, Victor Negrescu, Tudor Ciuhodaru, Andi Cristea or Natalia Intotero (minister for Diaspora) are also on eligible places on the list.

PSD chairman Liviu Dragnea also attended the Executive Committee meeting, although information pointed on Sunday that he is in hospital. Dragnea came up for the party meeting backed by PSD secretary general, Codrin Stefanescu.

„Here’s the list”, said Dragnea before entering the meeting.

The PSD chair explained the presence on the list of three candidates who are not PSD members, journalist Carmen Avram, MEP Maria Grapini and reverend Cristian Terhes, arguing they proved to be “patriots who defended the principle of justice and lobbied against abuses.”

Dragnea also opined that two other candidates for the EP, ministers Rovana Plumb and Natalia Intotero, should not stay in office as ministers until May 26, when the EP elections are due.

“I don’t think they should stay in the Government until the elections date. I don’t think a member of the Government can manage a portfolio and be on the campaign trail at the same time. I’ll have a discussion with the PM and the two ministers in the upcoming days”, the SocDem chairman said.

It is Dragnea’s first public appearance after almost a week.

Asked by the journalists if he is going to have a surgery for his back problems and for how long he’s delaying it, Dragnea replied: „I don’t want to have a surgery. My decision is for no surgery”.