MEP Victor Negrescu, who is seeking a position of first Deputy Chairman with the Social Democratic Party (PSD), declared on Friday at the party's extraordinary Congress that the event is not a moment of celebration, given that the Social Democrats are threatened by a pro-austerity Right, but also by the populism of extremists.
"This PSD Congress is not a moment for celebration. But it's the ideal moment to wake up. For the first time in its history, the PSD is threatened by both a pro-austerity Right and the populism of extremists. It is obvious that these political movements want to destroy the last bastion of social democracy in Eastern Europe. They want to destroy PSD, everything we have built, and the social state. They want to put education, health care, pensions and local development too into private hands. Some - for certain vested interests - I saw this in the press recently - others to sell us further east. We joined the government precisely in order to avoid this disaster," Negrescu said in his speech at the PSD Congress, agerpres reports.
He called for the awakening for the Social Democrats, stressing that the party "has always learned from mistakes and adjusted", promoting Romania's modernization and development, for the benefit of its citizens.
"We are the ones who built, they destroyed. We came up with solutions, they with video clips on social networks. We provided highways, they came with crowbars. We came with projects, they with cuts. We - with decentralization, they - with leaders who believe themselves to be the Messiah. We did this through dialogue, they did this by charging millions of euros for each meeting," declared Victor Negrescu.
He also brought to mind that the PSD has led Romania to the European Union, the North Atlantic Alliance and the Schengen Area, "closed the CVM" and will lead the country to the OECD too.
"In order to join these structures, we did some real reforms, we did not come up with austerity measures with no underlying impact studies, as the Liberals do. In fact, it's the PSD that is the party of reforms, not other formations in Romania. In our time, the Social Democrat prime minister spoke directly with the US president. I know this because I had the chance to be involved in these demarches. Today, USR representatives are struggling to meet with certain ambassadors. We need to change this," the MEP said.
Negrescu also stressed that the rights of Romanians must be firmly defended. "As a Romanian educated in the diaspora, I no longer want to read news about exploited Romanians or about workers over 60 who die on construction sites abroad," he said.
Regarding foreign policy, the MEP advocated building a PSD "with global and European influence" and within its political family. He voiced support for the promotion of local products, the fight against illegal migration, and a European minimum wage. Negrescu said that the PSD wants peace, but that investments in defense and security are necessary, as well as the development of the Romanian military industry.
"We are a pro-European party, but it is time to also say 'No' to the European Right and particularly to the leader of the European Right, Ursula von der Leyen. We cannot accept the closure of Romanian factories, more expensive energy, or rules that would lead to the cut of European funds for our country. We discuss, we negotiate with our heads held high, with professionalism, but with solid arguments for a social and united Europe, because we believe in the European project," Victor Negrescu pointed out.
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