Censure motion/ Victor Ponta: Pro Romania MPs to vote for the censure motion

Pro Romania and non-affiliated MPs are voting for the censure motion, the main reason being the ordinance announced by Minister Eugen Teodorovici, which would affect the entire Romanian economy, Pro Romania leader Victor Ponta announced on Thursday.

"Obviously, the 2012 conditions - a real alternative to the current governance that goes badly - are not met, and our criticisms against the governance are mainly related to how the economy and the social side are managed, beyond the criticisms that the USR, PMP, PNL are making against the intervention in justice, but we have taken note of the statements of the Minister of Finance regarding the decisions that this government wants to make today, and we will certainly vote for the censure motion, to show just one thing: that we do not agree with these economic measures," Ponta said in the joint plenary session of Parliament on the debate on the censure motion.

He brought to mind that he was in the Social Democratic Party (PSD) when the Fiscal Code was adopted, and the measures announced now are totally against that code and that fiscal policy that bring Romania's welfare.

For Pro Romania's lawmakers, Ponta said, it is important that those who voted for them will now be the most affected by these measures.

"As of January 1, pensions are frozen. If the ordinance is adopted, the pension indexation law does not apply. What you do not know is that the salaries of the deputies will increase and, if you think you freeze pensions while increasing the salaries of the elected officials and the dignitaries, I, as a Social Democrat, cannot support it. Many of the employees in the budget sector, (...) voted for me, too, have voted for you, too, and their extra hours will not be paid now. Also, I think that those who voted for you are under 46 and contributors to the second pillar of pensions. The second pension pillar will be virtually abolished by this ordinance (...) The moment when the announced fees increase the prices in telecommunications, Romania will no longer be a competitive country. Otherwise, I appreciate the courage of a government that next year will have to borrow 6 billion euros to finance the budget deficit. For these reasons, the Pro Romania MPs will vote for the motion, and I heard that courage is not to be found in bookstores. There may be wisdom, intelligence, common sense," Victor Ponta said. AGERPRES (RO - author: Catalina Matei, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)