Issue of the month

How advisable is it for Calin Popescu Tariceanu to let the proposed expulsion of vocal critics of his tenure, former prime minister Theodor Stolojan and former minister of justice Valeriu Stoica, take place from the National Liberal Party (PNL)?

Ludovic Orban,
president of PNL Bucharest
      Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu has nothing to do with the expulsion of Valeriu Stoica and Theodor Stolojan from PNL. The expulsion of the two members is a decision taken by Bucharest’s PNL party. The reason for their expulsion is [that they broke] the PNL’s code of ethics.

Cristian Parvulescu,
president of NGO Pro Democratia
      From the party point of view, the expulsion could be a natural consequence as long as Stolojan and Stoica were constantly critics of their party. The PNL is very well known for internal conflicts, even during the inter war period and also from the years after 1990.  But such extreme measures are not a characteristic of the liberals. I think they should find a common denominator and come to a consensus.

Adrian Cioroianu,
historian and PNL senator
      The expulsion of Theodor Stolojan and Valeriu Stoica from PNL does not seem like a good idea. I am expecting Tariceanu to interfere in this issue. The expulsion will create a pattern which is going to inhibit [the workings of the PNL]. It won’t stop the polemics. I hope in the end it won’t come to this.

Stelian Tanase,
political analyst
      It’s hard to come to a conclusion. First of all Tariceanu has not marketed an opinion in this matter and the PNL is not acting like a party anymore; it’s completely absorbed by the Government. There should be a serious discussion [between the party’s leaders and Stolojan and Stoica.] If they didn’t agree with the party’s decisions, I can’t see why they did not leave in the first place. I think there is a pressure from the party’s branches and not from its leaders, because Stolojan and Stoica acted as people loyal to [the President’s court] Cotroceni and Basescu is the main critic of the Government.

Valeriu Stoica,
PNL member and former Minister of Justice
      Such an expulsion is in contradiction to the liberal spirit. Inside a liberal party there is expected to be a multitude of opinions. Under any circumstances, free expression cannot justify measures of expulsion. This kind of punishment puts into the spotlight the non-democratic practices inside PNL. It is a dangerous road which today’s PNL management should leave, if not, they will find out that they are alone in their party.