Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear lawmakers,
It is both an honor and a responsibility for me to stand before you today as the designated Prime Minister. Together with the government team, I ask for the confidence vote of the Parliament of Romania at a decisive moment for our country’s future. I extend my gratitude to the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, for his trust.
I would also like to thank the political parties that have chosen to put aside their differences in pursuit of a common goal: to provide Romania with a pro-Western government—one capable of taking the necessary economic measures to overcome a challenging situation and return our country to the development path.
I address, as well, the citizens of Romania, who expect from us a change in political mentality and action. I want to assure them that I take on this responsibility fully aware of Romania’s current situation. I assure all citizens that the reforms and efforts to bring Romania back to a path of development and prosperity will begin with the state itself and its political clientele.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In this address, I will not touch upon aspects related to the listing of projects and public policies. For any such future projects, one first needs resources and a stable country. Romania must first successfully navigate this difficult period for the future development policies. I will focus instead on the urgent priorities we must now manage. Should this government receive your vote of confidence, as Prime Minister I will pursue three priority areas: order in public finances, good governance, and respect for the citizens of our country.
Despite the economic, geopolitical, and social challenges, the Government of Romania and the majority that supports it will undertake fundamental reforms that will foster administrative performance, Romania’s development, and the restoration of trust and hope. We will concentrate on restoring budgetary balance, absorbing European funds, continuing strategic investments, supporting the business environment, and upholding social solidarity.
Esteemed colleagues,
As I mentioned before, our programme for government is built upon three essential pillars:
- Order in public finances, as a prerequisite to avoiding an economic crisis and to restoring confidence among investors, financial markets, and citizens.
- Good governance, as the driving force behind state reform—ensuring an efficient, responsible public administration, adjusted to current needs.
- Respect for citizens, through quality public services, integrity in public office, and fair social policies that reward and encourage work.
We fully acknowledge that some of the necessary measures may be unpopular. But we must take into account that in the absence of such measures, Romania would risk slipping into fiscal instability and straying from its European development trajectory—incurring high costs for both people and businesses. On the contrary, implementing structural reforms will lay the foundation for Romania’s long-term prosperity. In the years ahead, we have the opportunity to become a modern, stable, and respected state—both internally and externally. Whether we succeed depends on our collective will to act decisively, fairly, and without electoral calculations. In the face of external instability and internal polarization, this program offers a different path—one that rejects populism, improvisation, and privilege.
Romania has been governed for too long without a long-term vision. That has cost us money, trust, and time. Now is the moment for mature and sustainable decisions. But we can only take them if we look honestly at where we stand and understand what must be done to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
We are facing a major test. If Romania continues to borrow to fund expenditures far beyond its means—including salaries and pensions—we risk being unable to pay them in the future. If Romania deepens its budget and trade deficits, we risk destabilizing our currency and losing investment. If we persist with burdensome regulations and an inefficient public administration, we risk missing the opportunity of EU funds and economic recovery. And if we tolerate waste and indifference in the public sector, in the long run, we risk losing the trust of both our citizens and our partners.
It is clear to all that Romania can no longer follow the path it has been on. That is why the mandate of the government I propose is one of reform and reconstruction—breaking with routine and regaining the right direction. These are not mere words; they imply concrete changes, starting with the political class and the public administration.
Order in public finances
Romania’s fiscal policy in recent years has been unpredictable, contradictory, and often populist. It has led us to the current situation. We owe the Romanian citizens an apology for this situation. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past. With a budget deficit exceeding 9% of GDP, urgent and firm action is needed. Continued fiscal slippage could bring Romania to the brink of insolvency. Restoring macroeconomic balance will strengthen our economy and restore investor confidence. A modern state pays its debts, honors its commitments, and does not mislead its citizens. To this end, we will impose discipline in public spending at all administrative levels. The budget revenues must be consolidated without harming competitiveness or punishing labor and investment. We will combat tax evasion rigorously.
Good governance
Romania’s primary issue is not a lack of resources, but inefficiency and waste. Our public administration is outdated, burdened by bureaucracy and institutional and position redundancies. We are facing underperformance, chronic inefficiency, and institutions that are out of control. We will begin reforming the public sector through a functional audit of institutions and administrative restructuring—both centrally and locally. Digitalization and simplification will be real priorities—not just rhetorical. So will decentralization. We will reduce administrative structures and professionalize human resources. Ministries will no longer serve as safe havens for sinecures. Public office will require competence, integrity, and results. Only in this way can we restore citizens’ trust in the state.
We will establish sound rules that foster responsible behavior. Investment will be carefully prioritized and continued to create the conditions for future development.
Respect for citizens
A state that respects its citizens ensures equal opportunities, supports work and initiative, and does not turn social assistance into dependency. It is a state that understands pensions are earned rights, not privileges; a state in which you trust that exams are fair. We will focus on delivering quality public services in education, healthcare, and public administration. We will support the depoliticization of public finances, schools, and hospitals—not through fake competitions, but by enforcing clear performance criteria and ensuring their implementation. We will support meritocracy and professionalism. We will protect the vulnerable and act firmly against abuse. We will complete the reform of special pensions.
Dear colleagues,
This is no ordinary moment. Romania stands before a choice: reform or stagnation, responsibility or populism. I call on you today to cast a vote of conscience—for a government not driven by hollow promises but by a clear mandate for reform and reconstruction. We will be making a mistake if we miss this vote and treat it as a political game. This is a choice between what must be done and what still needs to be done.
We will be a government of action, not empty words. We know the path ahead is difficult—but we have truth on our side, we have necessity, and we have the will to do what must be done. Romania has a chance for a new direction. Let us not waste it.
Thank you.
source gov.ro
The diplomatic daily newspaper Nine O’Clock does not assume responsibility for the information received and published on the public website. The responsibility for the content lies solely with the issuer of the press release.
The diplomatic daily newspaper Nine O’Clock cannot be held accountable for false information transmitted by the recipients of the press releases/announcements.
The diplomatic daily newspaper Nine O’Clock reserves the right not to publish press releases that contain inappropriate expressions or accusations and violations of the rights of other individuals, guaranteed by the Constitution of Romania.
The content of the website www.nineoclock.ro is intended for public information. Copying, reproduction, recompilation, modification, as well as any form of content exploitation from this website are prohibited. The use of the Comments section signifies your agreement to abide by the terms and conditions regarding the publication of comments on www.nineoclock.ro.
