PSD MEP Victor Negrescu asked on Wednesday how much longer Romania can afford to remain without a fully empowered government at a time when decisions can no longer be delayed. He says an interim government has limited powers. It cannot adopt the major measures the country needs, cannot undertake major reforms and cannot provide the stability needed to implement investments and European commitments. The longer this situation drags on, the higher the costs for Romania become.
“How much longer can Romania afford to remain without a fully empowered government at a time when decisions can no longer be delayed? An interim government has limited powers. It cannot adopt the major measures the country needs, cannot undertake major reforms and cannot provide the stability needed to implement investments and European commitments. The longer this situation drags on, the higher the costs for Romania become.
In this context, early elections are not a solution. Obviously, if that decision is made, everyone is prepared. But early elections would still mean additional costs that deepen the deficit, months of electoral campaigning, a Parliament that is just as fragmented, negotiations and uncertainty, precisely at a time when Romania must accelerate implementation of the NRRP, prepare the next European budget and respond to economic and security challenges.
The first effects of this lack of direction and the poor management of these issues are already visible:
More and more projects funded through the NRRP are being abandoned, delayed or risk being lost. For example, about 50 million euros intended for the Danube Delta have been removed from the plan, and investments essential for dredging and infrastructure have been postponed or abandoned. The list is, unfortunately, getting longer and longer.
Important public institutions have been affected by cyberattacks, including systems used by ANCPI and the Ministry of Investments and European Projects. In the current security context, such vulnerabilities cannot be treated as mere technical incidents. That is why the PSD has offered a solution regarding the situation at ANCPI.
Legitimate questions have arisen about how public funds are allocated, including in the case of funding granted by the General Secretariat of the Government. Transparency and swift clarification are mandatory, and such situations appear to be becoming increasingly frequent.
The latest economic data confirm the slowdown in the economy. Industrial output and confidence in the economy are falling, inflation remains high, pressure on public finances continues, and international institutions warn that Romania urgently needs stability and credible reforms. In the absence of firm decisions, economic costs risk rising even further.
Reforms assumed through the NRRP continue to be delayed. Several draft laws needed to meet the milestones have still not been submitted to Parliament, although the time remaining for NRRP implementation is nearing its end. Every further delay puts Romania’s access to European funds at risk and affects the country’s credibility with its European partners.
Each of these cases has its own context and must be analysed in detail. Taken together, however, they show that the lack of stable and effective governance is starting to have concrete effects on Romania’s development. Solutions to the crisis exist. While the Social Democratic Party has shown flexibility, it is time for the PNL and USR to take a step toward ending the crisis. Fewer personal egos, more solutions.
The country urgently needs a fully empowered government capable of making decisions, implementing the reforms it has committed to, protecting European funds and providing stability in a difficult period.
Romania can no longer afford additional months of political deadlock. It needs responsibility, competence and an executive that governs in the interests of citizens,” Negrescu said.
