PSD Accuses Rivals of Sacrificing 770 Million Euros in EU Funds to Save Mayor Fritz

Romania's political landscape is fraught with accusations as the Social Democratic Party (PSD) claims that rival parties PNL, USR, and AUR are jeopardizing 770 million euros in EU recovery funds to shield Dominic Fritz, the mayor of Timișoara.

The PSD alleges that these parties deliberately blocked the adoption of amendments to the National Integrity Agency (ANI) law. This law is a crucial milestone within Romania's Recovery and Resilience Facility (PNRR). PSD leaders argue that while a PNRR milestone on decarbonization, worth nearly a billion euros, was previously neglected by their opponents, they are now mobilizing to protect Fritz.

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When it came to voting for a PNRR milestone on decarbonization that meant almost a billion euros from the PNRR, Bolojan did not bother to come to the vote in the Senate. Today, when it was about the political salvation of Fritz, Bolojan made every possible effort to block the adoption of the new ANI Law.

Senator Daniel Zamfir of PSD directly accused interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan of endangering European funds to protect Fritz. Zamfir stated in the Senate that Bolojan's actions were aimed at saving the USR mayor, potentially costing Romania 770 million euros. The PSD highlighted that 35 of their senators voted in favor of the ANI law modifications, while AUR senators abstained, and PNL and USR senators were present but did not vote.

The Senate, acting as the decision-making body, ultimately rejected the proposed changes to the ANI law. The vote saw 52 in favor, 28 abstentions, and 29 senators not voting. The PNL party had previously left the chamber before the vote commenced. The PSD contends that this political maneuvering reveals the true priorities of their opponents, prioritizing political survival over integrity and European funds.

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Who has the nerve, Mr. Prime Minister, me or you? You were sent home, you don't want to leave, you want to stay, among other things, to save Mr. Fritz.