Censure motion fails. PM, Opposition embark on mutual accusations during debates. Some 5,000 protest in front of the Parliament building asking for the gov’t resignation

The censure motion initiated by the Opposition parties against Dancila Government has failed in Parliament on Wednesday evening. 166 MPs voted in favour, while the minimum needed was 233 votes. Four lawmakers voted against the motion.

The voting was by secret ballot. The three parties that endorse the motion, PNL, USR and PMP have 153 MPs altogether, which means that 13 more MPs have also voted to topple down the incumbent Cabinet, most probably coming from the ex-PM Ponta’s party ‘Pro Romania’. The PSD-ALDE and UDMR deputies and senators attended the debates, but left the plenary room before voting.

While PM Viorica Dancila was delivering her speech from the Parliament’s tribune, some 5,000 people were protesting against the ruling coalition and the Government in front of the Parliament building. During the premier’s speech the Liberal lawmakers displayed a banner reading „We fight for Romania till the end”, while shouting „Resignation”.

PM Dancila stated that the entire censure motion is „a sequence of fakes”, accusing the Opposition representatives they „are forging the reality for their own political games”.

„I have closely read the text of the censure motion and I have to admit I am disappointed. I hoped that, despite the political adversity, there will be a constructive approach of the criticism, for the benefit of the citizen. I have not expected that the entire motion to be a sequence of fakes, a presentation of a reality carried out in bad faith. I understand the role of the Opposition and its mission to criticize the Government. This motion is nothing but a political game. Your are falsifying the truth for your own political interests.”

Dancila accused the motion’s authors of arrogance and that they refuse to admit „the good obvious things” occurring during this mandate, exemplifying with the increase of the minimum wage, the economic growth or the decrease of the government debt. „I ask Romanians to have patience all through this circus presented in the Romanian Parliament”, the head of the Executive said.

„No mater what this Government has done and will do, it’s impossible for you to get out of the paradigm of catastrophe, of disaster and of circus. When you could not deny anymore the benefit of pension and pay rises, you have picked on the physical appearance, of the haircut or the outfit of the political foes. When you could not deny anymore the economic performances of this ruling, acknowledged by the International Monetary Fund, by the Monetary Bank (she meant the World Bank), you started making offending comments against the level of training of your opponents,” Dancila stated.

During the PM’s speech, the Liberal MPs have displayed a huge banner reading „We are fighting for Romania till the end” and asked for the premier’s resignation and cried „Thieves”.

„Stop lying”, the opposition’s MPs have shouted, with PM Dancila retorting: „I know the truth hurts”.

On the other hand, the ruling coalition lawmakers have applauded during the prime minister’s speech and the sitting chairman warned during the  PNL, USR and PMP booing and screaming that „a lady is talking”.

Opposition fires back

The leader of the Liberal deputies, Raluca Turcan said that “today we can save Romania or we can establish the Teleorman Republic (hinting to Teleorman county, the fief of the PSD chairman Liviu Dragnea) which is at the mercy of only one person.” Addressing PM Dancila, Turcan said: “Mrs prime minister, have you read your speech? If not, somebody has awfully mocked at you. You raised the lie at its best.”

In his turn, USR chairman Dan Barna stated: “Do we want to be Dragnea’s country, a man convicted for taking the money of the Teleorman children for himself, and who apologized the inmates from prisons? We lost 20 years because of a person avid for power, now we risk losing other 20 years because of a convict“.

Former president Traian Basescu, PMP founder, advised PSD to take action and topple down the Government by themselves if the motion fails.

“Will be Mrs. Dancila able to talk about the Brexit issue? about the refugees’ crisis, about the EU’s strategic issues? The entire government will take the European stage as of January 1. How will Transport minister Andrusca discuss about infrastructure when he has build not one kilometer of highway? Topple down your own Government by yourselves, for you can do it, and vote another government that should not embarrass ourselves,” Basescu said.

Around 5,000 protesters in front of the Parliament, 40 tried to enter the building

Almost 5,000 people came to protest in front of the Parliament Palace during the censure motion debates. Protesters were wearing white armbands, shirts and flags displaying the messages #farapenali (meaning nocriminals) and were chanting „Resignation”, „Nest of thieves and mobsters”, „We don’t to be ruled by thieves”, „PSD, red plague”. A group of 50 people were protesting against „the parallel state” nearby.

The gendarmes put fences to enclose the area  and no protester has been allowed to enter in the parliament building. A group of about 40 people tried to enter the parliament presenting their ID cards but the gendarmes stopped them.