Presidential consultations for PM appointment start with PSD

President Nicusor Dan's consultations with parliamentary political parties and formations for the designation of a candidate for the position of prime minister, which are scheduled to take place over about four hours, began on Thursday at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.

They started with the Social Democratic Party (PSD). The PSD delegation included the interim national leader of the party, Sorin Grindeanu, and Lia Olguta Vasilescu, Bogdan Ivan, Daniel Baluta, Gheorghe Oldan, Ciprian Erban.

"There have been some intense weeks. Normally, in my opinion, a negotiation of this kind should last three to four months, but we are pressed for time, and I hope that after today's discussions we will reach a consensus," Dan said at the beginning of the discussions.

"This is what we want," replied Grindeanu.

On behalf of President Nicusor Dan, honorary advisor Dragos Anastasiu and Radu Burnete, who will be presidential advisor from July 1, participate in the discussions.

The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) were expected to hold consultations at 11:30hrs but they have announced that they will not participate. The party's spokesman, Dan Tanasa, said on Wednesday that it would be "a sinister masquerade, dust in the eyes of the people", given that "the government is already made."

"We will not participate, it is an informal meeting, so to speak, it is a sinister masquerade, the government is already made, it is also made by those who brought us here. Let's take the macroeconomic figures - the highest inflation in the European Union, the largest deficit in the EU, the lowest tax collection in the European Union, and they talk about tax increases and taxes and an issue that we obviously cannot agree with," Tanasa said at a press conference at the Palace of Parliament.

The delegation of the National Liberal Party (PNL) is scheduled for discussions at 12:00hrs, and that of the Save Romania Union (USR) - at 12:30hrs.

S.O.S. Romania Party (SOS) are expected for consultations at 13:00hrs. The party's national leader, Diana Sosoaca, announced in a social media post on Thursday morning that S.O.S. Romania will not participate in the consultations because the party does not recognise Nicusor Dan as president and that the prime minister has "never been appointed or proposed by Romanians, but only by foreign powers."

At 13:30hrs, Young People's Party (POT) will follow.

The delegation of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) is scheduled for consultations at 14:00hrs. The parliamentary group of national minorities will follow the consultations at 14:30hrs as the last delegation in the consultations.

The Presidential Administration announced on Tuesday that under the provisions of Article 85 (1) and Article 103 (1) of the Romanian Constitution, the head of state invited to the Cotroceni Palace the national leaders of the political parties and formations represented in the Romanian Parliament, for consultations on the designation of the candidate for the office of Prime Minister.