Cristian Ghinea: "I would rather cut off my hand than vote for Predoiu as prime minister"

Cristian Ghinea, USR senator, stated that his party cannot collaborate with PSD without a well-defined reform program. He emphasized that USR will continue to collaborate with PNL under the leadership of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, refusing to negotiate with PSD at this moment. Ghinea mentioned that, without a reform program, USR would prefer to go into opposition, considering that a non-reformist government would be a "political suicide."

He also criticized the absence of President Nicușor Dan in managing the coalition, mentioning that the problems have been evident for a long time.

Ghinea further stated that on Tuesday "we witnessed a failed coup in PNL, because, immediately after the no-confidence motion, Mr. Predoiu quickly jumped to the press to promote himself as Prime Minister."

"In a coordinated manner, several leaders, supported or coordinated by Thuma from PNL, went out on Facebook, which caused astonishment, nerves in the PNL leaders' meeting and had opposite effects: they expressed solidarity with Ilie Bolojan, that is what several PNL leaders told me today. In other words, it was a coordinated coup by Predoiu that failed. (...) Personally, I would rather cut off my hand than vote for a Prime Minister Predoiu. Predoiu is the most opportunistic among the current PNL ministers who participated in all the misdeeds done by Ciolacu and Ciucă: blowing up the budget and the justice laws. So, if USR wants to vote for a Prime Minister Predoiu without me, but I don't believe that USR would do such a thing, because I know my colleagues and I trust them, we will not vote for a Prime Minister Predoiu,' Ghinea added.

Ghinea stated that the option of a technocratic government has failed and that USR and PNL, united, represent a significant political force. He emphasized that, in the long term, the reformist forces from both parties should collaborate to change Romania and expressed USR's desire for early elections.