PNL's Orban: PSD majority in Parliament's Standing Bureaus digging in heels in boycott of constitutional procedures

The Social Democrat majority in Parliament's Standing Bureaus is "digging in its heels in an irresponsible attitude of boycotting, blocking the constitutional procedures," Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ludovic Orban said on Monday, voicing his displeasure at the fact that the date of the Parliament's plenary meeting for the Citu Cabinet's investiture vote has not been set.

"I am unpleasantly surprised by the decision of the joint Standing Bureaus which established only the days for the hearing of the candidates for minister, but not also the date of the plenary meeting, despite our express proposal that the plenary should be called as soon as possible after the committee hearings; our proposal had been for either Thursday or next Monday. I cannot remember of any decision of the Standing Bureaus not establishing the date of the plenary meeting as part of the calendar of the investiture procedure. To me this is proof that the PSD majority in the Standing Bureaus is digging in its heels in an irresponsible attitude of boycotting, delaying and blocking the constitutional procedures. We will request that the meeting of the Standing Bureaus be called as soon as possible in order to set the date," Orban said at the Palace of Parliament.

According to him, any delay and "any procedural trick" will only affect the unfolding of the government's investiture procedure.

At the end of the negotiations held this Monday with representatives of the Save Romania Union, the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania, Pro Romania and of the national minorities, Orban emphasized that the Liberals have attempted to marshal a majority.

"We tried to negotiate in order to obtain a majority. (...) The Prime Minister-designate presented the list of the government and the governing program, and based on the mandate received from the PNL Political Bureau, we started the rounds of negotiation with the parliamentary political formations, in an effort to form a majority, in the attempt to ensure the unfolding of the procedures in accordance with the Constitution of Romania and with the provisions of the Statutory Regulation of the Houses. (...) Tomorrow we will continue discussions," said the PNL Chairman.

He also assured that the Liberal MPs will attend the plenary meeting. "I trust the sound discernment of each PNL lawmaker. At each procedure we will vote as we deem fit and normal," Orban said. AGERPRES