PSD asks Dominic Fritz to step down from leading USR

PSD is calling on Dominic Fritz to step down as president of USR following the publication of the reasoning of the High Court of Cassation and Justice in a case in which he was convicted. The Social Democrats argue that the court’s decision undermines Fritz’s and the party’s right to portray themselves as the “moral authorities” of Romanian politics.

In a statement issued on Friday, PSD said that the High Court found that Fritz had acted knowingly and deliberately when he signed documents concerning an urban planning project from which a person who had allegedly financed his election campaign indirectly benefited. The party maintains that the court’s reasoning indicates the existence of a conflict of interest and that the report signed by Fritz expressed the executive authority’s intention to support the project.

PSD is also calling for a criminal investigation into the Timiș prefect for abuse of office, accusing him of allegedly attempting to protect Fritz from the legal consequences of the decision.

The Social Democrats also criticize the fact that, before the court, Fritz allegedly invoked his intention to run in the 2030 presidential election and in other elections. In conclusion, PSD is calling on him to step down as USR leader and find a job in the private sector. The accusations represent PSD’s position, while any investigations will establish the prefect’s legal situation.