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USR's Barna: We want early polls, we won't vote for Orban Government
USR (Save Romania Union) leader Dan Barna on Thursday evening stated his party's goal is to have early polls and that it won't vote for the investiture of a new Government led by Ludovic Orban.
Barna said that there are "credible chances," of more than 50 per cent, for early polls to become reality, but also a "real" chance that they will not take place.
"Our goal is to have early polls, which is something we have been requesting for years, nothing has changed in that respect, we haven't changed our minds not even for a second. (...) Also, the President said it too yesterday evening, there is a real chance that early polls won't happen after all. We know very well that PSD is not a "partner" that agrees with these things, and the others who said they supported the early polls change their minds often. Ponta contradicts himself every time, so there is a chance snap polls won't happen. But this is our objective. And related to (...), a new government, I told the President that it must have the election of mayors in two rounds as a first objective, so that, if we really see a majority created in Parliament that will block the early polls and invest a Government, that majority should assume the election of mayors in two rounds, so that Romanians will benefit from this crisis after all, because right now the crisis is nothing else but a show on TV, this is the scenario. And in this context, in which we are clearly working for early polls, we won't vote for the Orban Government," Dan Barna told Realitatea Plus public television broadcaster.
He added that, if there are no snap polls and a Government is invested, USR will want to be part of the respective government, in order to be able to further pursue its goal to have mayors elected in two rounds.
"We will see what happens, if there is no vote for early polls, but there will be a new Government, we will want to be part of that government, in order to continue to pursue our objective to have mayors elected in two rounds and also place some pressure in several other fields, such as transport, justice, there are still things that we can do. It's very normal, and practical - I told the President about our standpoint as a party, for both scenarios," underscored Barna.
He also explained the steps to be followed for early polls and the reason for which the USR PLUS Alliance made a proposal of Prime Minister and communicated it to the President.
"We are going to join the government only if the designated PM, and we must also see the nomination for this, our proposal of Prime Minister, the President will have the option, and he chose today to have the first government with Mr. Orban, after which there will be a second government, and in this context, if the Orban Government falls, because this is the scenario, for the first government to fall, which is the second Orban Government in fact, who is nominated right now, after that there will follow a second nomination. And at that time the USR PLUS Alliance will come up with a proposal of PM, so that the President will have all the options. Regardless what will be the President's option, if that second government doesn't fall, which is not what we desire, but PNL does, and the President also does, so, if PSD manages to block the second government in Parliament, the one that is supposed to fall to have early polls, in that context we want to be part of the government that will lead our country to elections, of the government that wants to impose the election of mayors in two rounds. The election of mayors in two rounds is the important topic here, this is what we are talking about," said Dan Barna.
Asked if he thought that a national union government was a solution, Barna denied: "No, let's not go into this fantasy. It's a clear "no." With whom should we govern? With the PSD? With those who stood by the PSD until half a year ago? The only solution right now are the early polls."
President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday has invited at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace the chairs of the parliamentary parties and formations for consultations with a view to designating a candidate for Prime Minister, after the Ludovic Orban gov't was dismissed on Wednesday, through a no confidence vote.