Romania’s Prime Minister on Monday distanced himself from his envoy who told Washington to ignore pro-Ukraine policy and dissed Romania’s relations with Europe, as calls mounted for the embattled premier to resign.
Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan who is standing for president in the May re-do of the canceled ballot called on the prime minister to fire his envoy to the States or to step down. Dan is considered the main pro-European candidate in the race with a chance of making it to the runoff.
“Marcel Ciolacu, Prime Minister of the Romanian Government, is leading a foreign policy parallel to the official lines of the Romanian state through Dragoș Sprînceană, the envoy appointed by the Prime Minister in the US. This is intolerable,” Nicușor Dan wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.
Elena Lasconi, another pro-European presidential candidate said: “If this position really reflects the mandate sent by the Prime Minister, then we are dealing with a dangerous attempt to reposition Romania outside the Euro-Atlantic consensus, without public consultation and without a democratic mandate. In such a situation, Mr. Ciolacu’s resignation is no longer an option, but a necessity.”
On Sunday, Sprînceană, a Romanian-US businessman, whose role is to ‘facilitate relations with Trump.” told Digi 24 television that as the prime minister’s envoy he had told Republican leaders that: “The American administration must understand, ignore a bit Romania’s messages (that are) pro-Ukraine and pro-France, because we have an interim president (Eds: Ilie Bolojan) who will no longer matter in a month or a month and a half.”
Responding to the furor, Ciolacu on Monday tried to wriggle out of potential complications over Romania’s foreign policy which is within the remit of the president, not the prime minister.
“The opinions expressed in the public space by various Romanian citizens who have no official capacity are purely personal and do not imply a position of the Romanian state. Romania’s official positions are always transmitted through institutional channels, in close connection with the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The priorities of the Romanian foreign policy therefore remain unchanged,” Ciolacu wrote on social media.
On Sunday, former President Traian Basescu accused Ciolacu of ‘’usurping” his role as prime minister. Romania’s president is in charge of foreign policy. Former President Klaus Iohannis resigned his post in February during the current political crisis and Ilie Bolojan is the interim president. He has expressed Romania’s support for the European Union and Ukraine.
Sprinceana is a member of the Republican Party has no diplomatic experience. Romania’s presidential elections were canceled last year after reports that Russia interfered to help a Kremlin-friendly candidate, who has been barred from the May do-over. Moscow denies meddling.
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