Bucharest General Mayor Nicusor Dan said on Thursday that Romania needs a "stable" government, supported by a parliamentary majority, and expressed confidence that the parties will return to the dialogue table.
Nicusor Dan told private broadcaster Digi 24 that the establishment of a government is "an emergency", but emphasized that negotiations to form the executive take time "in any democratic country".
"I have appreciated the way in which the parties have related to each other and to society over the past weeks. That is why I was surprised by today's event. I am still optimistic that everyone will return to the negotiating table (...) It may be [a negotiating strategy - editor's note], but I don't think it brings any advantages, because people are aware of the crisis and anyone who tries to create more tension is not well seen by the people," said the mayor general.
According to Nicusor Dan there normally should be a debate "for several months" on the government program, but that, in the current context, this is not possible. He welcomed the fact that so far the parties have discussed the principles of government and not the "sharing" of positions.
"There are parties that have political programs that need to be harmonized. Of course there are things that are in conflict. It is something absolutely logical. What is happening in our country is logical, except for this emotional outburst, which surprised me from Mr. Ciolacu, who is a rational man (...) The pro-Western parties have 64 - 65% of the seats in Parliament. I think Romania needs a stable government with a majority, not a minority government. I would like USR [Save Romania Union] to be part of this majority, because it is a reformist party and Romania needs reforms,", he added
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Thursday that the PSD is withdrawing from the talks on the formation of the Executive and will vote in Parliament a right-wing government.
President Klaus Iohannis has declared that the last thing Romania needs is an extended governmental and parliamentary crisis.
"Now is not the time for petty quarrels. It is the moment for each leader to see himself as a statesperson, to sit at the dialogue table, at the negotiating table in order to have a government as quickly as possible, a government that will start to create the budget for next year, that will start to organize presidential elections in the first part of next year," the head of state stressed. AGERPRES