PNL's Orban: Cannot accept Romania's cardinal interests be negotiated as at flea market

National Liberal Party (PNL, opposition) leader Ludovic Orban on Friday stated in southeastern Constanta that he has referred to the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Supreme Court (ICCJ) in connection with the alleged criminal offenses of Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and Deputies' Chamber Speaker and Social Democratic Party (PSD, main at rule) leader Liviu Dragnea, because he considers that by their action, the two have hurt the cardinal interests of Romania.

'I cannot accept that Romania's cardinal interests be negotiated as if at the flea market and be abandoned for the private interests of Dragnea or Vasilica Viorica Dancila in terms of foreign relations. A country's foreign policy is the fruit of an entire team's effort. It cannot be that some people who understand nothing of what sensitivity is in terms of standings on foreign policy matters to mock in such a manner the relations so painstakingly built over decades of Romanian diplomacy,' Orban asserted.

In Orban's opinion, the whole action of the governmental memorandum preparation and elaboration, related to the initiative of relocating the Romanian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem might have criminal aspects, deeming as a civic duty to bring it up to the prosecutors.

'I submitted this referral as a citizen and I deemed it a moral obligation to bring it up. The referral is aiming at all the circumstances linked to the preparation, adoption and transmittal to the public on the relocation of the embassy. I was, am and will be an advocate of the strategic partnership with the USA. I have always acted and pleaded for friendship relations with the State of Israel. I was, am and will be an advocate of Romania's status as an EU member, but of the status of a loyal, responsible, trustworthy partner at EU level, who acts in accordance with the treaties and the decisions of the EU bodies. My referral is not aimed at the substantive issue, it refers to the deeds committed throughout the entire period of this memorandum's adoption,' the liberal leader stressed.

Ludovic Orban commented the fact that the PSD leader Liviu Dragnea is behaving panic-stricken, a reason why he is sending menaces both to Orban and to some public servants who might be investigated by the Prosecutor's Office following Orban's referral.

'The fact that he is threatening me will have absolutely no effect. I'm not afraid of you, Mr. Dragnea. You are used to ruling abusively, through menace, through intimidation, and yet you have not found your target, I'm not afraid of you. The most serious thing is that he is voicing menaces: 'I want everybody to get it that any person, any public servant who will further get involved in this approach will in fact be accessory to these two possible offenses.' I really don't understand why they panicked after all, they probably feel guilty. If they had no emotion whatsoever in connection to their deeds, they wouldn't have paid attention to this approach. It is not up to me to decide the guilt of any political leader or high public servant, this is the job of the prosecutor who will receive this file,' Ludovic Orban said.

When asked to comment on the PSD leader's statement according to which the referral lodged by Orban to the PICCJ was written at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, Ludovic Orban replied: 'A big lie! He is victimizing himself, he is trying to falsely make the president responsible for a step the latter has nothing to do with. This is my move: it's true, I did talk to some close people with legal knowledge, but they are colleagues and friends of mine, and the whole document has been drafted together with these experts who are close to me. It is them who have actually opened my eyes and encouraged me to make this move.'