The EPP have reacted to PES, and European liberals support for the legitimate protests by issuing a statement "condemning their intervention". Mr. Stanishev called this; "an outrageous affront to freedom of speech, legitimate right to assembly, and the principle of democratic solidarity". He urged the EPP to; "worry less about the strong positions of rival organisations and more about the appalling democratic standards of their own member parties". PES Secretary General Philip Cordery added that; "it is time the leadership of the EPP takes a long look in the mirror. Are they willing to make a stand for EU democratic standards, or will they continue to contort themselves into ever more convoluted defences of their members?"
PES President Sergei Stanishev and Romanian opposition leader (PSD) Victor Ponta, have already commented in detail on the Romanian situation, with a joint article, originally published in Public Service Europe. Among these demands is the urgent need for early general elections. In order to achieve this, the socialist leaders demand a transitional technocratic government be given the pivotal task of ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections. According to the text, “the EU must act decisively, collectively and most importantly - it must act now”.
The concerns over the Romanian Government come one week after strong EU condemnations of the increasingly undemocratic regime in Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's governing party, FIDESZ, is also a member of the EPP. PES activists are mobilising across the EU to condemn the increasing erosion of democratic standards in Romania and Hungary.
For further information please contact Brian Synnott on +32 474 98 96 75 (brian.synnott@pes.org)
