Codrin Stefanescu

The former president of the Social Democratic Party, PSD, Liviu Dragnea, who was released on parole in June, said he will support a new party, the Alliance for the Fatherland, which preaches nationalist values and calls for Romania to leave the European Union.

The social-democrats will meet on Saturday at an extraordinary congress at 11:00 hrs at the Palace Hall in Bucharest to elect their president, the executive president and the party's secretary general.

The National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) will meet on Friday to validate the bids for the party's leadership positions - chairman, executive chairman, and secretary general, but also to set the agenda for the extraordinary Congress due on Saturday, party sources said.

The reunion of the National executive Committee (CExN) of the Social Democrat Party (PSD, major at rule, ed. n.) kicked off on Sunday at the Parliament Palace, with the draft budget for 2019, some matters related to the administration, and the preparations for the EP election on the agenda.

The National Executive Committee of the PSD (Social Democratic Party) is set to have a meeting on Sunday at the Parliament Palace, to discuss, among other things, a presentation related to administrative matters and the budget drafts for 2019, and also the preparation of the campaign for the elections to the European Parliament in May this year.

PSD (Social Democrat Party, major at rule, ed. n.) Secretary General Codrin Stefanescu said on Thursday at Realitatea private TV station that President Klaus Iohannis has signed the decrees for the vacancy of the two posts of ministers - Transport and Regional Development, but has not made any announcement regarding the Government's proposals for new ministers.

Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea has received a confidence vote from 55 members of the National Executive Committee (CExN) while 8 voted against, PSD Deputy Secretary General Codrin Stefanescu announced on Friday evening.

He stated that 64 members of PSD's CExN were present of the total of 65 - the Defence Minister being out of the country.

Leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea said on Tuesday evening during a televised show that the reason why party heavyweights Ecaterina Andronescu, Codrin Stefanescu or Nicolae Banicioiu have been left out of the new PSD leading team is that congress delegates did not approve of their public attitude.

Romania's Supreme Court on Thursday jailed former Finance Minister Darius Valcov for eight years for influence peddling, money laundering and transactions that were incompatible with his position in the administration.

Romania's ruling Social Democrats readied on Monday for consultations with President Klaus Iohannis on naming a new Prime Minister, having impeached their own cabinet last week.

Iohannis stressed that his main concern was the new Prime Minister's integrity, adding that he would not appoint a candidate who had been sentenced for any type of crime, including corruption.