President Iohannis ratifies social security state budget

The social-security budget has been ratified, while the state budget is still pending.

Roxana Vasile, 12.03.2019, 13:54

President Klaus Iohannis has ratified the social security state budget so that pensioners should not suffer from what he has called “the incompetence of the Social-Democratic Party”. The president believes the Social-Democrats are to blame for the lack of a working state budget, because the Government was supposed to submit a draft budget in November last year, not three months overdue. President Iohannis made use of his presidential attributes and referred the budget to the Constitutional Court. The Court ruled against his referral, and the president has now sent the bill back to Parliament for re-examination.

President Klaus Iohannis: “After inadmissible delays, the Social-Democratic Government was unable to come up with a realistic budget, based on Romania’s priorities, and instead proposed what I called ‘the budget of national shame’. The budget does favor the prosperity of the Social-Democratic Party, instead of Romania’s”.

In turn, Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea responded: “The budget was carefully drafted and we cannot change it for the whims of a man who happens to be the president”.

In turn, Social-Democrat Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said: “We are very concerned at this moment with the 2019 state budget, it is our main objective, considering local communities are waiting for their funds. We have to increase child allowances, we need money for investment, so the budget is a priority right now”.

The Liberal Party in opposition, who has voiced its support for Klaus Iohannis in his efforts to secure a second term in office, has accused the Social-Democratic Party of trying to discredit the President. As for the budget, they say it is grounded on unrealistic data, which is why it had to be sent back to Parliament.

Liberal leader Ludovic Orban: “The budget is flawed and deceptive, built on data that has nothing to do with reality. It offers no guarantee regarding Romania’s positive evolution and development. The Liberal Party supports the president’s request to re-examine the bill and will submit its own opinions and amendments regarding each point in this request”.

Parliament is due to vote the budget bill on Wednesday.