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Speech by Prime Minister Florin Cîţu at the ceremony occasioned by Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year

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Florin Cîţu:

Chairman Vexler,

Chairman Vainer,

Chairman Orban,

Vice Prime Minister Hunor,

Chairman Ciolacu,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am glad to be here today. It is one of the most important holidays of the Jewish people, and it is an honour for me to attend this celebration. This year’s celebration is furthermore important as it marks the return to normality after a difficult period due to the pandemic.

Israel has been and is an example in terms of vaccination: the authorities there have managed to carry out the fastest anti-COVID vaccination campaign, and now they are among the first countries to offer the third dose of vaccine to the population. The Romanian state is truly the friend of the Jewish people and of Israel, as I have said on several other occasions, it is important for our partnership to further develop.

You know very well that I am interested in the cooperation between Romanian and Jewish companies. It is an important element, there are currently more than 130 joint projects which enjoy the participation of approximately 250 Israeli and Romanian companies.

Furthermore, I know that there were more than 8,000 Israeli companies lately, in Romania. Therefore, predictability is the best strategy for a sustainable business environment.

For the Government I am leading, ensuring and improving predictability is one of the main coordinates of an effective government. As already said, we will not increase taxes, we do not change rules in the middle of the game.

Concerning this evening’s celebration: I know that for you there will be a period of 10 days of repentance and reflection. It is a practice that can be helpful anytime and to anyone. Like any holiday, it is a time to reunite the family and to be close to your loved ones and please believe me that it is very important for us to be with our family as much as we can, so whether you like it or not, I will give you a piece of advice: spend time with your loved ones and make their presence a celebration for you and your presence a celebration for them. I wish „Shaná Tová” to you and to the millions of Jews worldwide!

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Statements by Prime Minister Florin Cîţu before the ceremony occasioned by Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year

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Florin Cîţu: Good evening! I'm glad to be here. It is a special evening for the Jewish community. I'm so glad I was invited. Maybe I have time to taste Jewish food. Let's see how long I can stay.

Reporter: What solutions for the government crisis did you find in the talks with the country's president?

Florin Cîţu: The solutions are the same that we presented from the first moment: the dialogue. I am still willing to continue the dialogue. I believe that only a right-wing coalition can lead Romania today, this coalition with which we set off. We just need to sit at the table and talk.

Reporter: According to the sources, at 7:00 pm, the USR-PLUS ministers will resign. What do you think about it?

Florin Cîţu: I can't comment on it, resignation is a unilateral decision.

Reporter: Is there still room for dialogue if USR-PLUS resigns from the government?

Florin Cîţu: There is always room for dialogue.

Reporter: Can you further work with a minority government in Parliament?

Florin Cîţu: We are not there yet. We'll see if we get there. I believe that we can still have a right-wing coalition to govern Romania.

Reporter: USR PLUS accuses you of a deal with the Social Democrats, who today somehow did not support their approach to the motion of censure, on the contrary, they rather acted in favour of the Liberals.

Florin Cîţu: But if they backed it, was it a deal with USR, AUR if they supported the measure? In the end, it was a decision of the PSD group. I don't know what arguments were behind it. I stated it was sad to see coalition partners alongside AUR, an extremist party. Now I see that the coalition partners want to be with the PSD as well. I remember how we were together in the street against the justice laws amended by PSD. I think we need to stop making statements and sit down at the dialogue table because these statements do not do any good.

Reporter: Do you think that time benefits you in terms of the motion of censure, regarding the debate of the motion of censure, given the elections inside the PNL?

Florin Cîţu: The two have nothing to do with each other.

Reporter: Are you ready with the budget revision? Are there any ministries dissatisfied with the budget?

Florin Cîţu: Tomorrow, the budget revision will be approved.

Reporter: Why did the reserve fund available to the government increase?

Florin Cîţu: Because we have 850 million lei only for calamities, which we must earmark urgently, after the law or the emergency ordinance on budgetary rectification is approved, we will approve this GD that will allocate an important amount to the communities for the calamities following this year's floods.

Reporter: After a possible motion of censure, will you remain the president's option for the position of prime minister?

Florin Cîţu: Let's get there. We will see.

Reporter: What did you convey to the president today?

Florin Cîţu: We discussed the current situation and the conclusion is the same that the president said this weekend, which I also said, the only solution for Romania is a right-wing coalition, this right-wing coalition.

Reporter: What can you offer USR PLUS to drop the motion so you can continue?

Florin Cîţu: We have to go to the dialogue table and discuss. Only there, if we talk, can we find a solution.

Reporter: A short question: if the ministers resign today, will you continue with the rectification at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow? Will you adopt it, even though they resign, if they resign?

Florin Cîţu: Of course! Thank you very much!