The Government of Romania, 6-month report

The left-of-centre cabinet headed by Viorica Dancila reviewed its accomplishments after the first six months in office

Roxana Vasile, 24.07.2018, 12:18

The third
governmental team put together by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance
of Liberals and Democrats in roughly one and a half years reviewed its activity
six-months into its term in office.

Whereas the
previous cabinets, headed by Sorin Grindeanu and Mihai Tudose respectively,
were leaving their seats after around six months in office, Viorica Dancila’s
team are counting their accomplishments and carrying on.

Higher budget
revenues, increased investments and better spending of EU funds are some of the
achievements presented by PM Dancila on Monday. She also mentioned the Government’s
measures to encourage employment and support farmers. Viorica Dancila explained
that in the first 6 months of the year the state budget revenues were some 3.2
billion euros higher than in the corresponding period of last year:

Viorica Dancila: This translates as a 530-million euro monthly increase, which has been
used in order to support the increase of household incomes and of public
investments.

Doubling the
salaries of healthcare personnel and a 25% increase of teaching staff incomes
were also listed as economic measures, after which the Prime Minister moved
on to information regarding the pension system.

Viorica Dancila: One of the most
important social measures was the 10% increase of the pension point level on
July 1, 2018, as stipulated in the government programme. Next year another 15%
increase is scheduled, and the minimum guaranteed pension will go up from 520
to 640 lei, accounting for a 23% rise.

In the first 6
months in office, the Government also approved 13 strategic investment
projects, 4 of which in the transport infrastructure sector. Not least, 192 km
of power lines were completed, which allow for inter-connection with the
neighbouring Hungary and Serbia.

True to their
role as critics of the Power, the National Liberal Party, in opposition, lashed
out at the Cabinet, which in their view managed the counter-performance of
bringing to a halt the economic growth of the past years. The Liberal party
president Ludovic Orban argues that the measures taken by the leftist Government
reduced the Romanians’ purchasing power:

Ludovic Orban. The Dancila Cabinet managed to undermine the Romanians’ purchasing
power, both in terms of pensions and of salaries, in the first 6 months of the
year. If I were Mrs Dancila, I would step down. But of course she is not free
to do what she wants and she is forced to stay at Victoria Palace, although she
clearly has nothing to do with being a prime minister.

Ludovic Orban
echoed in his statement the repeated requests made by President Klaus Iohannis
with respect to Viorica Dancila’s resignation, on grounds that she cannot
handle this office. But, the Prime Minister responded, such requests are just a
political game, and the results of her 6 months in office encourage her to
carry on.