Orban: Any pretext for suspension of President Klaus Iohannis has disappeared; PNL on President's side

Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ludovic Orban said on Monday that any pretext for the suspension of Klaus Iohannis as head of state has disappeared, but he stressed that if the the Social Democratic Party (PSD) - Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) ruling coalition decides to start this process, the Liberals will get involved in defending democracy. 

"At the moment, any pretext for suspending the president has disappeared. If PSD-ALDE start the suspension procedure, PNL will be on the president's side. We will engage with all the forces in the defense of democracy, of President Klaus Iohannis, with whom we are in a partnership and also in a campaign so that at the referendum we give these gentlemen a defeat as they deserve. (...) I am convinced that every normal person in society, any fair person, any person who respects the law, respects democracy and who wants Romania to return to the right path will be by the president's side in a possible attempt of suspension and dismissal that the majority coalition will initiate," Orban said in Parliament. 

He underscored that President Klaus Iohannis chose to do good to Romania through the decision made in the case of Laura Codruta Kovesi. 

"The president had two options: the option to accept the suspension with this pretext that he does not implement the Constitutional Court's decision would have led to the suspension, to the referendum that he would have won. This would have had favorable consequences on the president's personal image, yet the president chose Romania, chose to do good for Romania, chose to end a possible serious political crisis that would be triggered by the initiation of the suspension procedure (...)," said Ludovic Orban. 

Asked if he will try to talk with the Save Romania Union (USR) representatives in the context of their dissatisfaction with President Klaus Iohannis' decision in revoking Laura Codruta Kovesi, the PNL leader stressed that it is important that the actions of the opposition be coordinated. 

"It is democracy. The gentlemen in USR have been asked before if they support Mr. Iohannis and they said they had their own candidate. We do not deny their right to have a candidate, and from our point of view PNL has already decided to support President Iohannis. It is important to coordinate our efforts, to communicate and to pursue the achievement of some objectives that are for the good of Romania," Ludovic Orban said.