Dragnea on corporate governance: I don't see why such companies of a strategic interest cannot be managed by state

Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber Liviu Dragnea on Thursday stated in relation to the bill on corporate governance that he cannot see why such companies of a strategic interest to Romania cannot be managed by the state.

"First of all, I haven't seen so many performances generated by the Ordinance 109. On the other hand, I don't see why such companies of a strategic interest to Romania cannot be managed by the Romanian state," specified Dragnea. 

He was asked why almost 100 companies, running on Romanian capital, were subject to an exception from OUG 109, criticized by the Opposition. 

Asked whether this meant green wave for hiring based on political affiliation, he said: "No, most definitely not." 

On Wednesday, the Deputies passed a legislative bill on corporate governance of public enterprises, with modifications. 

The bill is meant to modify the paragraph (3) of the article 1 of the Government Emergency Ordinance 109/2011 on corporate governance of public enterprises, as approved with the subsequent modifications and completions by Law 111/2016, with the subsequent modifications, in the sense of including some companies in the category of exceptions from the application of the basic normative act. 

According to the legislative proposal, excepted from the application of the provisions of OUG 109/2011 are several tens of companies and institutions operating in the defence field, crediting or water companies, among which the Cugir Arms Factory, Arsenal Resita SA, the Oltenia Energy Complex - SA (CEO), the Technologies for Nuclear Energy state owned Company (RATEN), Company for Producing Electricity in the Hidropower plants of Hidroelectrica SA and its companies, the National Natural Gas Company ROMGAZ SA.