Speaker Dragnea: Any tentative minister removal is PSD's in-party decision, not instrumental to Opposition interests

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea said on Wednesday that should the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) decide to remove a minister from office, this will happen inside party structures, and will in no way be instrumental to the Opposition's plans.

"Not even I voted for the simple justice motion. This means that the PSD lawmakers did not accept to sack a minister at the Opposition's request. This is what my statement yesterday was about and the significance of today's vote," Dragnea said, and went on to ironically comment certain hyped media allegations about a move foiled by PSD putschists. "It seems that little by little the PSD putschists are turning into a sort of ISIS - whenever there's an explosion any place on the globe, they promptly claim it. This was a clear signal that if it decides to remove a minister, PSD will do it inside party structures, not as an instrument to the Opposition's interests," Dragnea said at the Palace of Parliament, when asked about the meaning of his Tuesday statement that the PSD deputies will vote on the simple justice motion according to their conscience.

Dragnea also denied allegations about him having arranged with a Liberal leader to help pass the motion on justice. The PSD leader added that the amnesty and pardon ordinance is not his main concern.

"The amnesty and pardon ordinance is turning into a media fetish, but it's not my main concern. It is my understanding that one of our deputies was unhappy with the Minister of Justice for failing to promote the amnesty and pardon ordinance. But we, those who think otherwise, are more numerous and we also have a different approach, we are accustomed to discussing elsewhere, not on hallways and on media outlets. Those who are increasingly seeking the limelight, let them just show off, but this will probably backfire on them at a certain time," Dragnea added. AGERPRES (RO - author: Dana Piciu, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Simona Klodnischi, editor: Simona Iacob)