USR's Barna to spell out conditions for supporting new cabinet at fresh round of presidential talks

National leader of the Save Romania Union (USR) Dan Barna has said that he will attend a new round of talks at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace on Tuesday, adding that he will have a conversation with the union's local leaders to determine the conditions under which USR will support the new caretaker cabinet and that USR will stick to not joining the government until after the parliamentary elections. Barna said that there is consensus within the USR over four conditions, namely the passage of a law for a two-round mayoral election, the "No Convict in Public Offices" initiative, the abolition of the law on compensatory appeal and Parliament's consultation for the appointment of Romania's European Commissioner. "I will go to another round of consultations tomorrow at Cotroceni Palace. Before today is over, I will have a conversation with the USR local leaders to determine the conditions under which we could vote for the inauguration of a caretaker cabinet. The USR PLUS Alliance has constantly said that it will enter the government only after the parliamentary elections. Our position remains firm: in the current political context, any government formula would be unstable, unable to conduct the necessary reforms and would depend on the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which will become the arbiter of any strategy. But we can vote for the inauguration of a cabinet that pledges a limited tenure for the preparation of the elections. I will propose my colleagues that we should request a clear schedule for the early election tomorrow at Cotroceni," Barna wrote in a Facebook post. He added that there is already a "consensus on some conditions" without which USR will not vote for the new Cabinet. "There is already a consensus inside USR and in the Alliance over some conditions regarding values, without which USR will not vote for the investiture [of the new Cabinet]. We have already supported them for a long time and they can be resolved very quickly through parliamentary procedures that must take place before any other vote. It is a test of the operation and responsibility of the majority that would vote on the government and a modicum of proof of good faith regarding the direction of the country in the period immediately ahead. Only after their fulfillment will we be able to talk about the new government and the other objectives that should be included in its tenure. The four conditions are: Passing the law on two-round mayoral elections - essential for the legitimacy of local elected officials and the regain of democracy at local level. Vote for the 'No Convict in Public Offices' initiative for which over one million Romanians have signed; Parliament's consultation over Romania's pick for European Commissioner. Repealing the compensatory appeal that has released from prison more than 20,000 criminals, many of whom committed new acts of violence. All this can happen in just one working day in Parliament," Barna wrote. AGERPRES (RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)