Resignation from the Romanian Government Coalition
Sworn in in late June, the government coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats is now facing a first resignation
Bogdan Matei, 06.09.2017, 13:07
Holding the Defense Minister portfolio, the Social Democrat Adrian Tutuianu on Tuesday submitted his resignation following a series of controversial events. First an NGO representing the professional military informed their members that they would receive less money this month. Journalists have asked the Defense Ministry officials for information and have received a communiqué according to which the employees of the Romanian Defense Ministry were to receive their full salaries but without the meal vouchers and the money for rent.
Also the defense ministry officials found out that the ministry was no longer paying their social security contributions and the income tax to the state budget. The situation was to be settled by September 25 when arrears were to be paid off. The press and the rightwing opposition jumped to the conclusion that the state had run out of money for the military’s salaries.
The president of the National Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, said that despite the “commitments made to Romania’s strategic partners, the Social Democratic Party left the Romanian army without wages” and thus the Defense Minister became a scapegoat, as he did not know how to hide the truth. On the other hand, the Finance Minister promptly announced that there were no difficulties regarding the payment of salaries to the employees of the Defense Ministry or any other ministry. A party colleague of outgoing defense minister Adrian Tutuianu and incumbent Prime Minister, Mihai Tudose was shocked with the whole situation. Mihai Tudose:
“I asked the defense minister to explain the situation. I have asked for his resignation. His mistake was to let such things happen. He was aware of the talks going on at ministry level, and nevertheless he lost control of the situation. This is unbelievable since we are talking about an important element of national security, we are talking about Romania’s army, Romania being a NATO member. It’s unacceptable to allow such messages to emerge in the press.”
The Prime Minister has given assurances that the state budget has enough money for the Defense Ministry, which has been allotted 2% of the GDP. He said the situation would be solved in two weeks’ time at the most, upon the budget rectification, which is going to be positive. The press abounds in speculations over the resignation of the defense minister. Some political commentators argue that this resignation is a settling of accounts inside the Social Democratic Party where two power poles had allegedly been formed around the Prime Minister and the Social Democrats’ leader Liviu Dragnea.
Other commentators claim that the outgoing minister had become too close to the supreme commander of the armed forces, namely the country’s president Klaus Iohannis, which has made him a persona non grata among the Social Democrats. Economic analysts have nevertheless drawn a warning signal. They fear that the situation at the Defense Ministry might be indicative of a real lack of funds and that, despite record economic growth figures, the Government might be unable to comply with the very generous promises with which the Social Democrats won the elections. (Translated by L. Simion)
