Romanian SocDem leader objects to two out of six PNRR laws

The Wage Law for the budgetary sector, in its current form, and the Law on Integrity Agency functioning – two of the six legislative milestones that would unlock the last EUR 4.5 billion in grants under the Resilience Facility (RRF) – will not get the votes of the Social Democrats (PSD) in Parliament, party leader Sorin Grindeanu said in a press conference at Parliament on July 20. 

The two laws that PSD is still resisting have not been submitted by the Government to Parliament, as opposed to the other four. 

Asked why the Social Democrat ministers who managed the Labour Ministry over the past three years failed to come up with a proper Wage Law, Grindeanu blamed former Liberal (PNL) prime minister Nicolae Ciuca for deferring the bill and admitted that the mission of drafting this law “is difficult," Digi24 reported. He argued that the legislation under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) is the responsibility of the executive and PSD is currently in opposition. 

A couple of days earlier, former Social Democrat labour minister Florin Manole said that the Wage Law as it is can be amended and eventually passed by the Parliament.

A week ago, PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu said his party would not support in Parliament any of the six draft laws.

The outcome of the legislative process remains therefore unpredictable. Grindeanu himself admitted that eventually his party would vote for the Wage Law – if amended.

“The PSD is currently working together with the union organisations on a series of consistent amendments through which we can make a fairer law that also respects the budget envelope. It is clear that in its current form the PSD cannot vote for a law that displeases everyone and that cuts money from teachers, doctors and the military. It is out of the question for the PSD to support this. I repeat, out of the question," Grindeanu said.

Separately, PSD’s Grindeanu rejected the idea of the Parliament amending the law needed for the national implementation of the EU-backed military endowment scheme SAFE. The amendments are needed to unblock the front payments to contractors. 

The Government issued an emergency ordinance on this topic before being dismissed by a no-confidence motion but needs to amend it – an action that the Constitutional Court ruled is out of the capacity of an interim government. PSD asked acting PM Ilie Bolojan to come up with another solution for amending the SAFE ordinance, according to Adevarul.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin) ...