"It was a joy to me to see how many people share the ideas I have circled around these days. Today we have set up the Liberal resistance”, the former PM said.
According to Tăriceanu, the setup of the initiative group for the preservation of the liberal identity is " a manifestation of a group of people who remain attached to values and principles”.
"I was thinking about the tradition of the Liberal Party and about what’s been happening lately (...). I’ve heard some colleagues say they would stay attached to the PNL. I would have stayed in the PNL if it had continued to represent the Liberal values. Unfortunately, all the movements over the passed few days demonstrate the exact opposite", Tăriceanu added Thursday on Antenna 3.
Here are the most important statements by Romanian Senate President Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu:
If you look at the structure of the vote PNL has obtained, you can notice something: two thirds of the votes come from voters in small towns and the rural areas where mayors have a decisive influence.
During 2004-2008, we did everything possible so that the commitments we took related to salaries increase, pensions raises, should be fulfilled.
I feel I have an obligation to voters.
I am not ashamed when speaking of the PSD. I remind everyone that in 2007-2008 the PNL was able to stay in power only because of the PSD parliamentary support.
From this moment on, all those who want to join us are welcome.
We set on a road that, undoubtedly is not easy.
The obligations we have as elected representatives of citizens in Parliament, we must show people that we make efforts to accomplish them.
Currently I believe the premises the Prime Minister had in view, are those based on the last year of economic growth, that continues very well, nicely well this year. There are additional collections to the state budgets that provide a certain leeway and I believe he adopted a very correct attitude.
I, like many others, we are true to Liberal values and principles. Today, while the PNL denies its history, tradition, values and moves towards the popular area , merging with PDL, so that later on they should fraternize with Mrs. Udrea, with Mr. Basescu, I am sorry, this is not the Liberal Party I know.
I am attached to these values that I will continue to promote and believe that those who are betraying now form the leadership of PNL, I am sad to say.
I did not know what Basescu was capable of. I had gotten some warnings from some of his former party colleagues, which I ignored. He tried in 2005 and 2006 to destroy the PNL and failed despite the whole maneuver with Stolojan, Flutur and so on. He is trying now the same maneuver, under the so-called name of the project to unify the right wing, that my colleagues from the PNL have embraced. It will not succeed in silencing liberalism. Liberalism will continue to live on in Romania.