In a column dedicated to Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, quoted by G4media.ro, Michael Martens remarks that "Johannis does not seem to shy away from approaching his yesterday's corrupt opponents."

The German columnist, in essence, remarks the sharp contrast between President's past vocal fight against corruption and consequently against the Social Democrats, and his ongoing actions that concur in bringing the Social Democrats at rule beside the Liberal Party. The shift was received with great disappointment by the voters of the reformist party USR, but also by those of the Liberal Party PNL.

The columnist explores the possibility that President Iohannis pushed the reformist USR out of the ruling coalition with a view of facilitating the access under less transparent terms to the billions of euros that Romania can get in grants and soft loans under the Relaunch and Resilience Facility. The drivers behind the change in the rhetoric of President Iohannis remain largely unknown.

Michael Martens voices the worst-case scenario - namely that of President Iohannis teaming up with circles of economic interests within both the Liberal and Social Democratic parties - the so-called "local barons" or less visible structures behind them.

"The first tranche should be disbursed soon - and it seems that there are forces in Bucharest that do not want USR to remain in government. USR insists that there must be strict monitoring of the use of funds," the FAZ columnist comments implying that those who pushed USR out of the ruling coalition would not stick to the same strict monitoring. 

(Photo: Presidency.ro)

iulian@romania-insider.com