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Prime Minister Florin Citu stated on Wednesday, in a press conference, that he has sent President Klaus Iohannis the resignations of Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity (USR PLUS) ministers, because he wanted to help save them from ridiculousness, as they risked to face a motion tabled by their own party.
"There is still a way for discussion, the signatures of the USR can be withdrawn from this toxic motion, in which it allied itself with AUR [Alliance for the Union of Romanians] and PSD [Social Democratic Party] - together they want to bring down their own government. And I want to tell you why I sent those decisions today to the President, because I wanted to save the colleagues from the USR from ridiculousness, to not have a motion tabled against their own people. It cannot be for an MP to table a motion against themselves. Dragnea did that. I pulled them from the ridiculousness today, so they stop being ridiculous, I accepted their resignations and today they can table a motion which is against their own government, but at least they're no longer in Government," Citu also said, Agerpres informs.
He showed that if the USR PLUS MPs withdraw their signatures from the motion, then it's possible to resume dialogue.
"USR must decide if it is governing or it is in opposition. I tell you I am concerned for Romanians, when AUR and PSD come to power, because to maintain these people in government means to maintain AUR and PSD. Today, in Romania, we have an AUR-PSD-USR coalition, a toxic coalition which was formed, which wants to place a new Prime Minister, I understand that Mr. Ciolacu (PSD's leader, ed. n.) is attempting to be the new Prime Minister of the USR-PSD-AUR coalition; there are negotiations made for this majority. I believe we all need to chill out, take a break for a couple of days and return to the table for discussions. We can still discuss about the governing coalition that we have today," he said
PM Citu to explain Fitch Ratings that reform program carries on
In a reaction to Fitch Ratings' cautioning that the collapse of Romania's coalition government could disrupt fiscal consolidation efforts, which are key to resolving the negative outlook on Romania's 'BBB-' rating, Prime Minister Florin Citu gave assurances that the reform program will continue, and that Romania has higher budget revenues that allow it to narrow the budget deficit.
"I discussed, I discuss with rating agencies two, three times a year, this time too I will have discussions with the rating agencies to explain that the reform program carries on. The National Liberal Party is a responsible party, a party that isn't made of spoiled children who take their toys and leave at the first hiccup, a party that is interested in Romania's governing and all the reforms we have pledged in the governing program. We will also explain to the rating agency that we have higher budget revenues, we can reduce the budget deficit and keep to the budget deficit reduction schedule accepted by the European Commission in spring," Citu said in a press conference
E-billing project starts testing September 15
The e-billing project will enter testing on September 15, and from October 1 it will be online, said, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Florin Citu, who emphasized that digitization is the top priority in the realm of taxes.
"I would like to reiterate what I said every time, that it is an important project, that will help eliminate large part of tax evasion, but is part of the digitization of the public administration," said Florin Citu at the meeting of the Interministerial Committee for the implementation of the e-billing project.
The head of the Executive added that in regards to the digitization of the public administration things are not going as they should.
"Last year there were moments when we could advance, but we see that we are hitting all sorts of barriers. What I expect from you and this project, is to see where those barriers are, to identify them so we can, afterwards, eliminate them in order to do the entire digitization of the public administration," he stated.
The Prime Minister pointed out that once the PNRR is approved there are important resources for the digitization of the National Tax Administration Authority (ANAF).
"And it's important that the team that is working today, here, on e-billing already prepare to implement the systems that you have proposed in the PNRR. The first resources will be advanced payments, you know very well," said Citu.
He mentioned that on the taxes side, digitization is top priority.
"We don't mess with taxes, we don't want to do anything on this side, all the other things I don't think they're that much of a priority. Digitization, if we succeed in this government to digitize the way in which economic agents, citizens, work with the tax administration, you will see the results will be, on one hand, the appreciation of citizens, and on the other, the reduction of fiscal evasion," said Citu.
The head of the Executive reiterated that the main benefits of the e-billing project are the elimination of tax evasion and the ease with which economic agents work with the Romanian state
Liberals will not take action to oust own Government, Orban's decision to be analyzed
Prime Minister Florin Citu announced on Wednesday, at the end of PNL (National Liberal Party)'s National Standing Bureau (BPN), that liberal MPs cannot take action to oust their own Government and cannot take part in the reunited plenum for debating the vote of no confidence submitted by USR PLUS (Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity alliance) until the signature legality is verified.
Citu specified that PNL's BPN made several decisions during Wednesday's session, in accordance with the attributes specified by the PNL Statute.
"Article 1: No PNL MP will take action in Parliament or outside it oust their own Government and the Prime Minister, Florin Citu, appointed by PNL". Otherwise, they will be subjected to the statutory sanctions. Article 2: PNL will not make Government with PSD (Social Democratic Party). Article 3: PNL MPs are mandated not to participate in the reunited plenum summoned by the Chairs of the two Chambers of Parliament, at the end of the reunited Standing Bureau, where the calendar of the vote of no confidence, submitted illegally by USR PLUS - AUR (The Alliance for the Unity of Romanians) will be discussed, until the signature legality is verified," Citu specified the three decisions.
Asked what will happen in the case of PNL's chairman, Ludovic Orban, who summoned the reunited plenum. Citu replied that the situation will be analyzed.
"First, I want to know if he broke the statute through this summon - if it is an illegal summon and against the statute and PNL - then there will be sanctions," he said.
On the other hand, Florin Citu announced that the representation figure for PNL's National Council on September 18 is 800 people, and the session will take place at the Parliament Palace
No PNL MP will take action to bring down their own Government or PM
Prime Minister Florin Citu declared on Wednesday, at the end of the PNL (National Liberal Party)'s National Standing Bureau, that no liberal MP will take actions in Parliament or outside it for "bringing down their own Government and PM, Florin Citu, who is appointed by PNL.
"No PNL MP will take actions in Parliament or outside it to bring down their own Government and Prime Minister appointed by PNL, Florin Citu. Otherwise, they will be subjected to the statutory sanctions," he said in a press conference.
The Prime Minister mentioned that PNL MPs will be mandated not to take part in the reunited plenum summoned by the Chairs of the two Chambers of Parliament or the sessions of the reunited Standing Bureaus where the USR PLUS (Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity alliance) - AUR (The Alliance for the Union of Romanians), which he says it was "submitted illegally" until the signature legality is verified"
Citu: Gov't to notify CCR regarding conflict with Parliament on censure motion
The Executive will notify the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) regarding a conflict between Government and Parliament on the issue of the censure motion, Prime Minister Florin Citu announced, on Wednesday, at the end of the meeting of the National Standing Bureau of the National Liberal Party (PNL).
"I am announcing that the Government will notify the Constitutional Court for a legal conflict between the Government and the Parliament of Romania. There are doubts regarding the way these signatures were submitted. (...) We will notify the Constitutional Court, they must say if Parliament respects the Constitution, ultimately it is the only institution that has a say in respecting the Constitution," said Florin Citu.
The Prime Minister explained that the PNL is not opposed to the constitutional right of a parliamentary party, which has legal signatures, to submit a censure motion.
"What we want is to ensure, and this was the role of Parliament, to ensure that all procedures are followed from a legal point of view. What we saw and the information we received and those types of signatures, several, some have written - resubmitted because they were a photocopy. If you omit that you have unlawfully submitted some signatures, from my point of view it's inadmissible, we are notifying the Constitutional Court, the only one that can tell us if the Constitution was respected by the Romanian Parliament. We have opinions, we have beliefs, but the decision of the Constitutional Court is singular," Citu said.
He said that the notice will be submitted on Wednesday.
"I believe today we will submit it, we await the decision of the Court. If the Court says it was legally submitted, the procedures will run and we move forward," said Citu
PM Citu: Let this be clear for everyone: PNL is not making Government with PSD
Prime Minister Florin Citu declared on Wednesday morning that he requested the reunion of PNL (National Liberal Party)'s National Standing Bureau in order to make certain clear decisions regarding the political situation.
"Firstly, a decision for all PNL MPs to support all the actions taken by the PNL Government, so that no PNL MPs to take any actions in the Romanian Parliament against its own Government, regardless of the position they hold in PNL - without excuses with constitutionality and so on, the Constitutional Court says what is constitutional and what is not, not us - and thirdly, a clear decision that PNL will not make Government with PSD (Social Democratic Party), let this be clear for everyone," Florin Citu specified.
Liberals from the team of PM Florin Citu summoned for Wednesday, at 10:00, PNL's Standing Bureau, through a video-conference, in order to discuss the political situation.
