PSD says looking forward to finding what actually worries PES about it

Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD) says the announcement from the leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES) regarding PES freezing relations with PSD does not reflect "the overall position of the PES," adding that it is "looking forward" to finding out what issues worries PES. "This treatment by some PES colleagues is untenable; we can expect misrepresentations and accusations on the part of the PSD political opponents, but not from our own family. We understand that the PSD situation was not discussed during the PES meeting, indicating that this positioning does not reflect the overall position of PES. If there are colleagues in PES with concerns about the rule of law in Romania, we look forward to being told in actual terms what issues are worrying them. So far, none of those who have been worried about the situation in Romania could indicate an actual element to justify their concern," reads PSD's reaction to the announcement by PES Chairman Sergei Stanishev. According to the PSD, "this entire tale about Romania's rule of law is rather a matter of electoral logic than a real concern" and "all this effervescence will be extinguished after the May 26 elections." "Then, after the elections, the situation will be different altogether, as those elected on PSD's behalf will have a much stronger position. It will be then when our response will come, but now we will not fall to this game and we should not give it more attention than it deserves." The President of the Party of European Socialists, Sergei Stanishev, announced at a meeting of socialist leaders that took place in Brussels on Wednesday that relations with the Social Democratic Party in Romania are frozen, according to a press statement posted on the PES website. "During the meeting PES President Sergei Stanishev restated the PES's continued concerns about the rule of law in Romania. He informed the prime ministers, commissioners and party leaders that until the Romanian Government clarified its commitment to the rule of law and followed the European Commission's recommendations, the PES leadership will consider relations with the PSD frozen, pending a formal discussion at the next PES Presidency meeting in June, where PSD Romania's membership of the PES will be discussed. He concluded by saying that no PES events will be organised with the PSD until this time," the PES statement says. AGERPRES (RO - author: Catalina Matei, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)