PM Dancila to discuss ruling coalition with ALDE's Tariceanu

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, national leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), major at rule, has voiced hope that the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), PSD's junior coalition partner, will stay at rule, adding that she will have a conversation with ALDE national leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, and that she did not discuss forming a new ruling coalition with other political formations. "I still believe that this coalition will work. And I think that this coalition and the coalition colleagues will understand that we have this responsibility to Romania and Romanians. (...) I will have a discussion with Mr Tariceanu; I have not yet spoken with other political groups, but believe me that I have to find solutions, as a responsible prime minister, to ensure Romania's stability at these times," Dancila told Antena 3 private broadcaster on Sunday. On the other hand, answering a question regarding Pro Romania, Viorica Dancila replied that the party stands no chance of joining the government. "I wish for this coalition, PSD-ALDE, to continue working. We came up together with a government programme before Romanians, a programme that we promised we will carry through, and it is important to do so for credibility's sake. Neither party wins if either breaks away from this alliance and fails to take into account the promises made to the electorate. Moreover, we must be very responsible. We need stability in Romania (...) We have a meeting tomorrow. I think Mr Tariceanu and ALDE will want us to continue. We will have an adjustment of the government programme because two and a half years have passed and things have changed, we must have a government programme and certain measures patterned on the existing reality in Romania. We will not change the government programme, because it has been voted on by Parliament and we cannot change it, but we will fight for every measure in the government programme so that it becomes a reality," she said. Given that Tariceanu said in a recent interview that "the government operates out of inertia" and he does not want to be "part of an impotent government," Dancila specified that he wants to discuss with Tariceanu the things that make him dissatisfied. "You cannot be in power and in opposition at the same time. When you are at rule, all that happens is the responsibility of the whole alliance, because together, for two and a half years, we have implemented the governance measures. (...) I think numbers show that this governance is not perfect, but it is an efficient government. We still have much to do, but we have also done many things. As long as in the second quarter Romania is the second fastest growing economy, at 4.6pct, before Hungary - after us is Poland, at 4.1pct - I think these things show that the government is going in the right direction, as long as we keep our promises. For example, on September 1 we increase the pension computation point by 15pct, we increase the minimum pension; I think this government is good. I will talk to Mr Tariceanu to find out why he is so upset. (...) I think these statements do us no good and we do not win one at the expense of the other. I believe that we must have these conversations inside the ruling coalition, to establish what the dissatisfactions are, and what can we do to respond to these dissatisfactions. Because if we go out in public, we only play into the opposition's hands," said Dancila. AGERPRES (RO - author: Irinela Visan, editor: Karina Olteanu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)