Update: President Iohannis, Opposition parties sign political pact on Romania’s European course. PSD, ALDE missing

President Klaus Iohannis and the Opposition parties have signed Thursday afternoon, at Cotroceni Palace, the National Political Pact regarding Romania’s European course. The leaders of PNL, USR PLUS, Pro Romania and PMP attended the ceremony.

The head of state said, during the signing ceremony of the Political Pact, that Romanians turned to the polling stations and had a firm answer to the questions at the referendum.

“Romanians have voted for Europe and against the despicable attacks on justice,” President Iohannis said.

Ruling coalition parties, PSD and ALDE have missed the ceremony and have not thus signed the pact.

“PSD did not announce me to be interested in the National Pact. PSD hasn’t changed, PSD does not change. Only apparently PSD seems to change. PSD has done much harm to Romania, has impeded Romania’s development,” the head of state said.

“PSD and ALDE have been drastically sanctioned at the election on May 26,” he said, adding that “the Romanians had their answer to failed governance. Romanians will know how to vote at the next election.”

President Iohannis said Constitution and current legislation should be amended so that the vote in referendum goes further.

“I am very glad to have this national pact. This signing is not a step by which we intend to exclude others. The list for signatures remains open. Maybe they turn to better intentions and I want to leave the door open for the politicians who want to build a better country,” Iohannis said.

In turn, PNL chairman Ludovic Orban said he is glad to sign the “extremely important document, which may put the basis of an authentic democracy, which respects the citizens’ rights, the rule of law and justice independence.”

USR leader Dan Barna said he signed the National Pact because it supports things that USR wants for three years. “This Pact is the first piece in a larger construction which should include the initiative called without criminal offenders in public offices,” Barna said.

The political pact was announced on June 5 by President Klaus Iohannis, regarding Romania’s pro-European course.

The Presidency informs that the ceremony was attended by PNL chairman Ludovic Orban, USR chairman Dan Barna, Pro Romania chairman Victor Ponta and PMP chairman Eugen Tomac.

President Iohannis proposed the pact after having consultations with the parliamentary parties last week regarding the steps to be taken to transpose the referendum on justice in the Constitution, to include the recommendations of the European Commission and Venice Commission.

“Romanians have voted against anti-European approach addressed before the elections. We, Romanians, wanted to be in the European Union, this does not reduce our sovereignty at all. I saw there is a wide convergence, that the results must be enforced, that the European route must be reinforced, therefore, to capitalize this vote, I decided to invite parties to sign a national agreement, a political pact for European Romania: to transpose the ban of amnesty and pardon in the legislation, as well as the revision of justice laws in compliance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission,” President Iohannis said last week.

PSD asked that the pact includes seven more issues, most of them Liviu Dragnea’s topics of election campaign for European Parliament. ALDE said the pact should be signed only by parties, digi24.ro reports.