August 12 (SeeNews) - Romania's opposition left-wing Social Democrat Party (PSD) will file a censure motion against the liberal government led by prime minister Ludovic Orban over incompetence in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis on August 17, PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday.
"PSD will not allow Romania to be sunk by the incompetence of the government," Ciolacu said in a televised statement broadcast by Digi 24.
Ciolacu also criticized the way in which the government has carried out public acquisitions of medical equipment during the 60-day state of national emergency ended in mid-May and said he suspects fraud.
Ciolacu first announced PSD's intention to file a censure motion against the government in mid-June. At the time, he lashed out at the government for passing a law prolonging the state of alert for a further 30 days without parliament approval.
In order to pass, the motion needs to be backed by 233 MPs.
PSD holds 210 of 465 seats in parliament. The National Liberal Party (PNL) led by Orban has 112 MPs, Union Save Romania (USR) holds 40 seats, Pro Romania - 21, The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) - 30, Popular Movement Party (PMP) holds 16 seats. The remaining seats are taken by 17 MPs representing minorities, and by 19 independent MPs.
Romania has reported 65,177 coronavirus cases so far, including 2,807 deaths, according to the latest data from the health ministry.