A government under the sign of blunders

The Cioloş government seems to be working under the sign of blunders, as several of its ministers have been criticized by the public over their statements, during their almost five months of government.

The first sign is visible in the government program itself. In Chapter III - Planned measures, technocrats claim that the government will operate for a period of one year, but, in one of its subchapters, the goals also include the drafting of an investment plan for the next ten years, with the consensus of the entire political class, of a national development strategy which would include objectives financed using European funds, as well as from the state budget, drafted by consulting the private sector, the civilian society, the competent ministries, internationally and domestically recognized specialists. It is true that a document can be drawn up in a year, in a month, in two weeks or even in an hour, but to think that such a plan could get the consensus of the political forces so that it can be applied consistently for a decade is just pure fantasy. Even Nicolae Ceauşescu had only gotten as far as five-year plans and he only aspired to draw up longer plans.

It is already a truism that Romania needs strategies that would go beyond politics, beyond people that temporarily hold various offices. Romania does not necessarily lack strategies, but the will to apply them, and often suffers when it comes to integration and multidisciplinary approach of the various sectors concerned by those strategies, according to political analysts.

The drafting of a development strategy becomes even less possible by a government that has a term of just one year, when ministers are trying to outdo one another through the blunders they make.

In December last year, Finance Minister Anca Dragu was saying that the minimum wage would not be raised from January 1st, 2016 de from 1,050 lei to 1,200 lei, giving as an example countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, where residents are "are poor and numerous and they all know how to do something for two lei, and they do things that Romanians haven't been doing in quite some time".

Another minister who was criticized by the public opinion was that of Health - Patriciu Achimaş-Cadariu, who took responsibility in the Senate for the communication problems in the case of children with the hemolytic uremic syndrome: "The fact that there is currently a mix-up between what has happened and what has been communicated is bigger than me and I am sorry. If we look at the press releases and at everything that has happened recently I think that the truth will out".

Achim Irimescu, the minister of Agriculture, said that the E. Coli O26 bacteria, which caused the newborns in Argeş to get sick, was found in products made by dairy company "Lactate Brădet" of Curtea de Argeş. Achim Irimescu subsequently said that the proof of the connection between the E.Coli infected cheese found at "Lactate Brădet" and the sick newborns did not exist, the Ministry of Healthcare has the duty to complete the investigation, but he said that by indicating the manufacturer, he might have saved other lives. PM Dacian Cioloş reacted to the attitude of Achim Irimescu, by saying that the Minister of Agriculture should not have announced the name of Brădet in the scandal of the children that got sick in Argeş if he did not have all the elements, criticizing him for speaking too early.

Another public manifestation criticized by the mass-media was that of the minister of Justice Raluca Prună, who said that the ordinance passed by the Executive concerning the wiretaps does not infringe on freedoms and liberties, but actually make them effective: "When prosecution and the fight against criminality are weak, the speech about rights is a theoretical luxury".

PM Dacian Cioloş drew the reaction of the public, by responding to several comments on his Facebook page. "I think that we should be more concerned with brains and less with... balls", was his response to a citizen who had accused him that he "had no balls" and that he was kissing the boots of European officials.

Dacian Cioloş is preparing the first reshuffling of the technocratic government, political sources told the mainstream media yesterday, and they added that no less than five ministers would be replaced.

Contacted by BURSA, Dan Suciu, the government's spokesperson, denied that information by saying: "Two words on this matter: Not happening".

According to the information in the press, which circulated yesterday, some of those concerned by the reshuffling could include Health minister Patriciu Achimaş-Cadariu, Justice minister Raluca Prună, Environment minister Cristiana Palmer Paşca, European Funds minister Aura Răducu, minister of Public Finance Anca Paliu Dragu.

Even though it has been a few months since the installation of the technocratic government, political leaders have expressed their discontent with certain ministers. In February, PSD leader Liviu Dragnea, asked Dacian Cioloş to conduct a government reshuffle, and said he was even considering the filing of a vote of no-confidence against the government. At the time, Liviu Dragnea mentioned the ministers of European Funds and of the Environment.

That was Liviu Dragnea's first warning with a motion of no-confidence to Dacian Cioloş, after the one issued in relation to the eviction of the Intact group.

"We are very seriously considering proposing a vote of no-confidence if the ANAF evicts the five TV stations of the Intact group", Liviu Dragnea was saying.

In early March, Senate president Călin Popescu Tăriceanu, was saying that he was not happy with the performance of the government led by Cioloş and that he is seeing blunders from its ministers daily. Also, he never ruled out the possibility of replacing the current government through a vote of no-confidence.

Tăriceanu said: "The performance of the government is not good and we are seeing the blunders of the ministers daily: the Justice minister, the Agriculture minister, who I saw that even the PM himself had to reprimand for the blunder he made. Unfortunately, the list is very long. The lack of experience, the lack of training are visible in the way that they manage things, to say nothing of the fact that there is a characteristic to this kind of formula, namely avoiding responsibility".