President Iohannis requests gov't authorities to bring under control situation generated by African swine fever

President Klaus Iohannis request the gov't authorities to bring under control the situation generated by the swift spread of the African swine fever and draws attention to the budget situation invoked by the Executive.

"Against the backdrop of the crisis generated by the swift spread of the African swine fever virus and in relation to the latest statements made by members of the Government, Romania's President, Mr. Klaus Iohannis draws attention to the imperative responsibilities incumbent upon the government authorities to bring the situation under control, so that the spread of the ASF be blocked to other counties than the ones already affected in a direct way. As regards the compensation of the population and the producers affected by the swine fever, President Klaus Iohannis requests that the Government ensure a process, as swift, simple and efficient as possible of drawing up, approving and paying the damages files of the population and the producers affected by the swine fever, through efficient evaluation committees, so as to ensure the conformity of the records and the compensations. The well-being of the population's households affected by the virus depends on the way these compensations are granted, but also the future of the pig breeding industry," reads a press release of the Presidential Administration.

The head of state maintains that the Gov't has not spent anything from the Reserve Fund for the African swine fever. 

President Iohannis considers that "the defective and reckless way" the Reserve Fund was handled has led to the present situation, where, in a crisis situation, the Gov't no longer has at its disposal money in this fund, although he shows that the Executive's Reserve Fund receives constant supplies, not just through budget amendments. 

"It is outrageous that members of the Gov't credit fake topics, which condition the budget amendment by a series of essential payments, such as the payment of pensions or medicine acquisition. This approach does not represent anything else but a cynical exercise to manipulate the public opinion, that PSD [Social Democratic Party, major at rule, e.n.] has turned into a real governing way. The blame for the critical budget situation where the Gov't is at present lies completely with the ministers who were not capable at the beginning of the year to make correct estimates regarding the funds necessary to the ministries they coordinate," the quoted source mentions.

The Presidential administration underscores that the head of state has repeatedly drawn alarm signals in relation to the precarious sustainability of 2018's budget, the sub-financing of certain expenditure chapters being obvious.

President Iohannis affirms that "from the desire to check the respective assumed targets with regard to deficit, the budget project underestimated certain spending categories, due to subsequently receive the necessary financial resources."

"A serious budget amendment does not mean mending and resorting to last-minute actions," President Iohannis concludes.