National Liberal Party (PNL) leader and interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said that at Thursday's meeting with Prime Minister-designate Luca Niculescu, they will discuss how to put an end to the 'political crisis triggered by the PSD and AUR,' stressing that a fully empowered government is needed as soon as possible to manage urgent matters.

'The new government and the country's real needs. Today we will meet at the PNL headquarters with Mr Luca Niculescu, the candidate designated by the President of Romania for the position of prime minister. We will analyse how we can put an end to the political crisis triggered by the PSD [Social Democratic Party] and AUR [Alliance for Romanians' Union]. We need, as soon as possible, a fully empowered government that can manage the urgent matters for which the current executive does not have the necessary legal instruments: ensuring the operation of public services during the final months of the year, including through a budget revision; taking the necessary measures to limit spending and meet the targets set for this year; and preparing next year's budget,' Bolojan wrote on Facebook.

He said that 'beyond these urgent matters, regardless of the form of government in the period ahead, keeping spending under control and maintaining budgetary balance will remain the main challenge.'

'Budgetary discipline is a basic condition for controlling spending. It is not an end in itself, but the only way in which we can avoid wasting what we have worked hard to achieve in recent months and create the conditions for an economic recovery and sustainable prosperity. What are the risks? Borrowing in previous periods and the high interest rates associated with it have rapidly increased public debt, raising the risk of losing control over the budget. The situation is complicated by the increase in the interest rate at which Romania borrows, against the backdrop of a global phenomenon driven, among other things, by the war in the Middle East, but also by the effects of the government's collapse, the PSD's populist statements and the prolongation of political instability,' Ilie Bolojan said.

In his view, the increase in the country's risk premium reflects creditors' concerns about the lack of stability and fiscal responsibility amid an uncertain political situation.

'We regained the markets' confidence last year, which allowed us to secure lower interest rates. However, we risk losing this gain if we do not maintain a responsible approach. Every percentage point paid in additional interest means billions of lei a year, money that we can no longer use for investment, healthcare or education,' Bolojan said.

He stressed that the deficit targets set for next year and for 2028 are non-negotiable, noting that the only matter open to discussion is how they will be achieved.

'Proper management of a budget does not mean ignoring privileges, but challenging them. State spending must not increase. Those who, referring to what has happened so far, talk about 'wild austerity' are irresponsible. We have started adapting spending to revenues, bringing consumption closer to what we produce and what we can genuinely afford. Those who make unfunded promises are making a mockery of people, generating frustrations that fuel discontent. This is a way of governing that I rejected from the outset and that we will not accept going forward either,' Ilie Bolojan also wrote.

Prime Minister-designate Luca Niculescu is meeting three of the parliamentary parties on Thursday as part of consultations on forming the government and establishing its governing programme, with the first meeting being with the PSD.

According to the schedule of meetings, Luca Niculescu will also meet PNL representatives at 14:00 and UDMR representatives at 15:30. The meetings are taking place at the parties' headquarters. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Alina Novaceanu; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)

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