Florin Cîțu began his conference by presenting a remarkable achievement. Rating agencies ranked us as low risk, from negative to stable. Their rating was based on the NRRP and considered our solid perspectives on economic growth.

In their evaluation, the rating agencies considered the indexes in the economy. However, a part of the evaluation looks at political evolution. The rating “issued” by these companies has relevance only to foreign investors and financiers. It has no direct influence on the standard of living. And if we are talking about “perspectives”, the industrial production in August was below the average in 2015, dropping by 10% every month. Or the current account. Its deficit is of 55% compared to last year. Or we can also give the example of bankruptcies in 2021, 25% more than last year.

The deposed prime minister, Florin Cîțu, also sees a deficit decrease

Yes, it exists. But this can also be done through methods that affect the standard of living on the long and medium term: reducing investments in certain fields (research-innovation for example) – reducing expenses in other cases.

We earned the trust of foreign investors, says the demoted prime minister. “So Romania is heading in the right direction”.

It’s hard to prove such a statement when a vital statistic index, the level of new investments, from zero, is no longer public. We don’t know how many investors chose Romania, the amount of money they invested, in what fields. According to “Edelman trust barometer 2021”, the aggressive infodemic fueled the general distrust in the leaders of our society. Should we look at a IRES survey, we’ll find that 88% of Romanians believe the country is heading in a wrong direction. Let’s say that IRES is “close” to the SDP and that the results are exaggerated by 20%. Alright, does 68% seem irrelevant to anyone?

 

We are nearing the moment when all Romanians will feel the benefits of the economic growth. “After stable comes positive”.

 

And after positive comes what? The demoted prime minister kept giving the example of the minimum wage that will increase starting January 1st 2022. Or the “decrease” of the energy bills. And payment delays. These are not measures to increase the standard of living, but temporary measures of social protection. Because we’ve been appearing with the same number of citizens on the limit of subsistence: 4 million.

Florin Cîțu is convinced that rating agencies are not expecting an increase of the inflation in the following period of time.

With an inflation of almost 7%, it’s hard to believe anything anymore, especially because the EU “locomotive”, Germany, has been facing the same tendency – the highest inflation in 30 years.

About pensions, where there is a law that provides for an increase, the demoted prime minister has been very brief: “We don’t have anything concrete”.

There is a law that provides for a pension increase. A LAW. But it doesn’t apply. You brag about it only when you have already put something else in its place. Better, at the right time.

Florin Cîțu hopes that “Romania won’t fall in the hands of populists and demagogues”.

Romania has been in the hands of “populists and demagogues” for 31 years. No highway has been built, no hospitals have been built, education is ruined, our standard of living ranks us among the last in the EU. Since we have entered the EU. And many other things, that you see everyday.

You will not see many countries in the EU whose rating goes from negative to stable.

Absolutely correct. Because most of the EU states have never had a “negative” perspective. Maybe Italy… and you remember Greece, at a certain moment, many years ago.

Florin Cîțu talked about Health too. “We are using all resources and we presented to you how much we have done in the last month to reduce this impact, of the pandemic (…) I told you that health would be a priority this year and I kept my word”.

In this field it is hard to contradict. Authorised public institutions should press charges, directly. In the last month 6.325 Romanians have died of COVID 19. Or 9 deceased every hour. Or one is less than six minutes!!! 6.325 victims, as many as last year until October 21st. It is as if Ghimbav’s population disappeared in a month! There is no statistic of those who had chronic diseases and died due to restrictions in the medical services. The number of the medical staff in the ICU has not increased, there are separate circuits only in a few hospitals. Testing has increased a little thanks to rapid tests. There is no medicine for antiviral treatment. The vaccination campaign is an embarrassment, became a reason for hate among citizens. I wonder how the “picture” would have looked, had they not kept their word?

 

(an article by Edward Pastia)