UPDATE/ALDE's Tariceanu, after Cotroceni consultations: Not planning on being part of future gov't formula

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) is not planning on being part of a future government formula, party Chairman Calin Popescu-Tariceanu said on Friday, after the consultations with President Iohannis, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. "I presented the President our point of view, which was discussed this morning at the ALDE Executive Political Bureau meeting. This point of view, briefly, aims to provide support for a government to be formed. Naturally, I would say, this government should be taken over by the PNL [the National Liberal Party], which initiated the censure motion and which should also give the prime minister. Then, after the President of Romania officially nominates the candidate for prime minister, there will be talks, negotiations, with all parliamentary parties, to get support in Parliament. We have clearly told the President that we will support such a formula. It seems to me that such a formula is more appropriate in a composition based on PNL. We are not planning on being a part of a future government formula," said Tariceanu. He has pointed out that his party can offer its support at the Government investiture, but stressed that this is not a "blank cheque", and ALDE will want to know in advance the priorities of the future Cabinet. Tariceanu stressed that ALDE opted for a "one-color PNL government formula". "Of course we can support the Government's investiture and at the same time we will have some discussions with the future Prime Minister to grant this support. In other words, it is not a blank book, a blank cheque, which we give to the future government. They will have to present the priority directions and, of course, we shall also say the things we can agree and disagree regarding the future government. Our opinion is that this political solution should be adopted as soon as possible, so that the period of political crisis in which we entered yesterday, with the fall of the Dancila Government, should be as short as possible," said Tariceanu. The ALDE Chairman has said that the solution of the early elections is not a "feasible" one, because due to the constitutional provisions it would be a "long and extremely cumbersome" process. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu has stressed that his formation will not support reductions of pensions and salaries, saying "that there are economic solutions that allow to ensure the salary framework and the level of pensions, at the current level, without any problems" for next year. The ALDE leader also said that the party he leads is not interested in a government with the Social Democratic Party (PSD). AGERPRES (RO - author: Irinela Visan, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)