Liberal leader Florin Citu, a former prime minister and minister of finance, expressed his disappointment with the insufficient investments included in the 2022 budget planning. He said that he "cannot understand" why prime minister Nicolae Ciuca, formally a Liberal himself, although with a lower political profile, "failed to observe the ruling strategy" agreed by the two ruling partners.

He said PM Ciuca should come up with valid explanations on this when he returns from Brussels. He also refused to extend support for the budget planning that was already cleared by the Government.

"In PNL we have to have a decision on the vote for this budget, because it is different from what we agreed, and I can't take it upon myself to tell my colleagues 'it's OK, go and vote!" he stated in an interview given to Digi TV station.

Chances are that the objections raised by the Liberals - who have no control over the Ministry of Finance managed by the senior ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) - are aimed at blaming their ruling partners for potential problems in the implementation of the Resilience Facility (handled by Liberal Minister Dan Valceanu).

In essence, underfunding the public capex account is a valid concern in terms of sustainability, particularly in the context of the social package promoted by the Social Democrats, though.

Citu mentioned the 7% share of the budget that should have been (and was not) earmarked for public investments. He already warned that "the ruling strategy was breached," and the Liberals will have to decide whether to accept this compromise when the budget bill is discussed and voted in Parliament - where Citu serves as head of the Chamber of Deputies.

"We already see a shift in the paradigm. We are moving from an investment-based budget to a budget that allocates fewer resources to invest, and more to social packages," Florin Citu stated. 

(Photo: Gov.ro)

iulian@romania-insider.com