The Bucharest Sector 1 mayor Andrei Chiliman (in picture) was recently excluded from the National Liberal Party. Chiliman, one of the founders of the civic platform Iniţiativa România Liberală – Liberal Romania Initiative – has been criticizing the leadership of the National Liberal Party PNL, and his ousting had been expected. “For over a year, in the middle of the electoral campaign, these people criticized me every week, criticized the party and its strategy, and they were however never excluded from the party. But now it has gone too far and we risk creating political promiscuity, which is absolutely unhealthy,” said PNL president Crin Antonescu.

In return, Chiliman, and the other party member excluded Diana Tusa, said they were ousted because they had a different opinion, from a party which in theory promotes freedom of opinion and expression.

"I am here to defend the principles for which I entered PNL in 1989, which are the freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, freedom of association and a certain way of doing politics. I am here to defend liberalism and PNL of Crin Antonescu,” said Andrei Chiliman when attending the PNL meeting where his ousting was decided. Only eight people supported him, and 139 were against him in the PNL leadership meeting. Chiliman also criticized Antonescu for his obsession with power, suggesting this is harmful for the party.

More about the Liberal Romania Initiative here.

editor@romania-insider.com