USR supports Ilie Bolojan as prime minister who really wants to make changes

Chairperson of Save Romania Union (USR) Dominic Fritz said Thursday that he had informed President Nicusor Dan that USR supports Ilie Bolojan for the position of prime minister, noting that it is clear that the latter will be a prime minister who wants to make changes and demands authority.

"I had a very productive discussion with the president. I told him that USR is ready to take on some of the responsibility for making Romania a strong and prosperous country again and for getting us out of the crisis that, unfortunately, poor government has put us in. I told the president that we support Mr. Ilie Bolojan as prime minister. I told the president that, from our point of view, the discussions with the four parties show a promising foundation for reforms, and I can add that there is a difference in tone and attitude compared to the discussions we had last December," said Dominic Fritz.

He added that USR believes that, first of all, spending cuts must be made, secondly, certain investments must be spread out, and only then can fiscal measures be considered.

"At the same time, there is the reality that we have the PNRR program, where we depend on European money, and this European money is conditional on certain expectations from the European Commission, which will allow us to use this money, and there are still many billions of euros until next year, only if we increase revenues, namely, taxes. This is the discussion that remains, which is the last step towards an agreement, this package of fiscal measures which, in our view, must be as limited as possible and must not have a negative impact on the Romanian economy," said Dominic Fritz.

Fritz also said that USR is "confident" that it will be able to form a "government that will look different from past governments." "We, the USR, are ready to fight alongside Prime Minister Bolojan for a state that is fundamentally reforming itself in favor of its citizens," he added.

Asked if Ilie Bolojan had made the adoption of his proposed fiscal plan a condition for becoming prime minister, Fritz said: "I cannot speak for Ilie Bolojan, but what is clear is that he will be a prime minister who really wants to make changes and who demands authority for these changes, and we are ready to give him this advance of trust and this authority."