Lucian Romascanu (PSD): 'Klaus Iohannis should obtain Parliament's mandate if negotiations regarding the EU funds are to be resumed'

Social Democratic Party (PSD) spokesperson Lucian Romascanu said it was possible that negotiations on funds for the EU countries could resume, in a context in which he called on President Klaus Iohannis to obtain a mandate from Parliament before going to negotiations.

"This negotiation might resume, given the developments in the European Parliament. We ask President Iohannis to come to Parliament before going to a new negotiation, to say what he intends to obtain, to get Parliament's mandate, then, on his return from the negotiations, to come and report back to Parliament and, implicitly, to the population, to the people for what he obtained there. Things are extremely important to be taken on as an individual, even if he is the president of Romania," PSD) spokesperson Lucian Romascanu told on Sunday a press conference.

In reference to the negotiations at the European Council he said that there are countries that have reduced their contributions to the EU budget.

"The Minister of European Funds now, at the end of May, it seems, was telling us that there is a possibility that Romania will attract 85 billion euros. Following a successful negotiation, as Mr. President would say, we have obtained 80 billion. Some have reduced their contributions, there are five countries that have reduced their contributions (...) to the budget of the European Union, Romania is not among them. There are some that have received extra money for convergence. There are 14 countries. Romania is not among these either, and the president of Romania did not negotiate anything in this regard," Romascanu added.

According to him, of the EU funds worth 80 billion euros for Romania, 17 billion are conditional loans.

"If we break down the 80 billion, we see that 46.3 billion are related to the multiannual budget 2021-2027, 16.8 billion are non-reimbursable funds in the form of grants, the remaining 17 billion are conditional loans, of this money Romania will have to give about 1.4% of GDP back for the next budget cycle, which means we will be left with 40 billion. To which will be added some taxes that the EU intends to impose on Member States. There will be, for example, a tax of 0.8 euros per kilogram of unrecycled plastic. (...) there will be taxes on financial transactions," added Romascanu.

AGERPRES .