Nicuşor Dan: There is understanding at the European Commission regarding reforms; no one expects them to be taken in three weeks

Bucharest – Nicuşor Dan stated on Monday, during the solemn session of Parliament in which he took the oath of office as President of Romania, that there is a need to strengthen transatlantic relations – the strategic partnership with the USA, Romania’s participation in NATO, participation in the dialogue between the European Union and NATO, supporting the European path of the Republic of Moldova.

Referring to foreign policy objectives, he emphasized that there is also a need for participation in the European autonomous defense architecture, reducing critical dependencies regarding energy, technology, and supply chains, strengthening the defense system against hybrid warfare, gradually increasing the percentage of GDP for Defense, in agreement with partners, and Romania’s active participation in the decision-making process at the level of the European Union.

Regarding the possibility that Romania may have its payments suspended from the Cohesion Program and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) if measures are not taken to reduce the deficit by June 4, Nicuşor Dan said that “there is an ongoing discussion with the European Commission.”

“I am very, very optimistic that the people there are giving credit to the new power in Bucharest, because you cannot do in a few days what has not been done in a few years. The risk is not… until European funds, the discussion is distant. The problem is our credibility in financial markets and in the investment area. The problem is the high interest rate that we are paying at this moment. And what we need to do is to provide a plan, as I said, 2025-2026, from which it results and reduces the deficit and also provides a stability plan,” explained Nicuşor Dan.

The European Commission is set to assess the status of member states regarding the reduction of budget deficits, and Romania risks suspension of European funds, considering that it has not fulfilled a series of commitments, such as the one regarding tax reform.

According to the European Commission, Romania’s general public deficit was 9.3% of GDP in 2024, fueled by very large increases in public salaries and pensions.

In statements made on May 24 during the participation in the Congress of Students in Romania, “Student in the European Union”, Romania, Nicuşor Dan, reforms, EU stated that there is understanding at the level of the European Commission regarding the tax reforms that Romania needs to undertake, in the sense that “no one expects” measures that have not been taken in the last three to four years to be adopted in three weeks. (26.5.2025)