USR PLUS' Barna: Coalition cannot function if only one of its members meets objectives

Certain issues assumed in the governing program "did not take any step further", Save Romania Union-Unity, Freedom and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) co-chair Dan Barna told public broadcaster TVR on Wednesday evening, stressing that a coalition cannot function if "a partner (...) ticks all its political goals and another partner stands by and applauds overcome with emotion". "In a coalition, the political goals and strategic goals of each partner must be prioritized equally. The idea that one partner or another ticks all their political goals and another partner stands by and applauds overcome with emotion cannot ensure the functioning of a coalition. There are topics - SIIJ [the Section for the Investigation of Judicial Crimes], zero taxes on the minimum wage (...) - which, although they have been brought on the agenda and are part of the governing program, have not taken any steps further. Or, a coalition cannot function in circumstances where only one or the other of the members fulfills their objectives," declared Barna. He stressed, however, that leaving the government, although it would be the easiest option for USR PLUS, would not help Romania. "The easiest thing is to slam the door and go home. There is a group in our party that says, 'Let's leave government, and go home. This is not possible, we either carry out our reforms or we leave.' That's the easiest option, but it's an escape that doesn't help Romania at all, because if we were to leave government, we would dramatize for two or three days, bloody tickers, misery, crying, after which Romania will be the one before USR PLUS. A Romania in which there would be very little hope and in which people would have no one to believe in anymore. Many of them, those who see the European Romania. Not all in this country are like that, but at least that piece of Romania that believes that Romania can modernize is looking at us right now," added the USR PLUS co-chair. Dan Barna said his party is determined to remain in the coalition "until it becomes clear that no reforms can be made." However, he considers that this situation will not be reached, because he found, both in the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) "an openness and a responsibility for what the need for reforms in Romania means".AGERPRES(RO - author: Catalin Alexandru, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Simona Iacob, editor: Maria Voican)