Update 23.27 –The expulsion from PNL of MEPs Renate Weber and Norica Nicolai was proposed because they have breached the statute, the final decision will be taken on June 10, PNL spokesman , Ionuţ Stroe said.
"In the case of the two MEPs - Renate Weber and Norica Nicolai – it is about a breach of statute and our decision is to propose to the future National Political Bureau, to be held on June 10 (June, editor’s note), the sanctioning and expulsion of the two MEPs from the PNL ", Stroe stated, according to Mediafax.
The PNL spokesperson specified it was a political measure.
" It is apolitical measure of clarification of the relations the two former MEPs still have with the PNL. It is well known that they have adhered to and sustained other political platforms than the ones the PNL is part of bot at national and European level”, Stroe specified.
The old PNL leadership decided Wednesday to propose the exclusion from the party of MPPs Norica Nicolai and Renate Weber, the reason being that the two adhered to the ALDE group in the EUROPEAN parliament, refusing to join the EPP.
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Initial news 18.25
Norica Nicolai and Renate Weber have been excluded PNL. The two MEPs have refused to join the EPP.
Antena 3 reporter Iosif Buble, explained that, following the voting held within the BPN of PNL, the two have been excluded from the party. Previously, the had been summoned to come back into the EPP group. They have refused and currently are outside the party.
Norica Nicolai explained in a telephone intervention on the show "100 minutes", produced by Alessandra Stoicescu, on Antena 3, that the decision was a predicable one and that she felt like a free person.
"It was a predictable decision for this new party. I was watching you, watching your debate over state powers. Finally I'm a free person. Never in my career did I make a compromise. I explained during the PNL congress that I did not agree with this merger. I will never say anything. It's a gesture of political honesty. I have no further comments to make about this decision. Of course, I will stay as a free MEP, ALDE member and vice-president. "
"I have not attended any PNL meeting and I think that the decision made today, after we were ordered to pass on to the PPE, both me and Mrs Weber, it is a decision that PNL assumes and which I respect. "
Renate Weber explained that she was not necessarily surprised, but that she had wished she had a discussion with the party’s leadership before this decision was reached .
"I'm not surprised, I had an exchange of messages at a time, with the party leadership and explained why the transition from the EPP to ALDE is a natural step in accordance with the promises made, I received hundreds of messages which told me exactly that, that this is what I should expect, because the votes were for liberal principles and values. I'm not surprised. Sure, it is not a pleasant moment. I wish I had a discussion with party colleagues. "
"Of course I ran for the Liberal Party. I have been part of the party ever since I entered political life, but throughout the election campaign I gave assurances about my presence in ALDE. I learned about PNL’s passing to the EPP the day after the election, in the press conference of Mr. Antonescu. PNL conducted all the negotiations with EPP in a non-transparent formula. I was faced with a fait accompli. "