The PNL mayor of Cleja, Bacău County: "Those who do not work do not deserve to live"

Petru Iștoc, the liberal mayor of the Cleja commune in Bacău County, generated strong reactions after he declared in a Local Council meeting that "those who do not work do not deserve to live." His comments were made in the context of a discussion about social aid beneficiaries, whom he criticized for being satisfied with the small amounts they receive. Iștoc recounted a dialogue with a beneficiary who said he does not get up in the morning to work, emphasizing that some people prefer not to work.

Although local councilors pointed out that the situation can vary from case to case, the mayor insisted on the idea of work, invoking a quote associated with Jesus Christ, stating that those who do not work "do not deserve to live." He declared on his own responsibility that this opinion applies to all those who do not actively contribute to society.