The Senate and Chamber of Deputies have begun their first parliamentary session of the year

A new session has begun in Parliament — deputies and senators have resumed their work, elected new leadership structures, and continued with statements on this year's legislative priorities. For the governing coalition, the adoption of the state budget, administrative reform, and economic recovery measures are at the forefront, while AUR announces that it will strongly oppose them and is starting with three simple motions that it wants to submit to the Senate this week.

Opposition MPs are even prepared with a motion of no confidence if the government opts for a new vote of confidence. This option seems to be less and less considered by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. More recently, an emergency ordinance for public administration reform would be preferred.

Reporter: Oana Bala - "In this parliamentary session, the governing coalition's priorities are public administration reform, economic recovery measures, and the 2026 state budget law. PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu estimates that the draft budget will be presented towards the end of the month and is convinced that resources will be found for the measures to help vulnerable groups supported by the Social Democrats.

Sorin Grindeanu: The solidarity package includes measures that must be included in the budget, so it will not be a package approved by Parliament. These are measures financed by the state budget. The local and central administration packages plus the reform package, at this point we have concluded negotiations on everything, and we are waiting for the government to come up with the procedure it wants to apply. If they can be approved by emergency ordinance, we have no objection.

The Liberals believe that they have always generated stability within the coalition and would agree with the social measures proposed by the PSD, but these cannot be implemented if there is no money, as Senate President Mircea Abrudean said.

Mircea Abrudean: We want things to move forward in this complicated, tense coalition, which has proven its stability at the polls. Social measures are always needed, and the PNL and anyone else will support social measures if there is money.

USR Senator Stefan Palarie said that many state reforms that have been delayed must be completed quickly.

Stefan Palarie: When I say state reform, I am referring to two things; I am referring to a whole series of reforms that are long overdue. You know that we are still discussing the package of spending cuts in local and central public administration. When we say reform, we mean seeing these things through to the end, we mean eliminating a lot of institutions.

From the opposition, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians has announced that it will try again to dismiss the Bolojan government if the executive opts for a new vote of confidence. AUR has prepared three simple motions that it will submit to the Senate this week, said AUR Senate leader Petrisor Peiu.

Petrisor Peiu: One concerns the government's attitude towards the Mercosur issue, another concerns what is happening at the Ministry of Defense and the absolutely bizarre statements made by the new defense minister, and the third concerns the extremely serious situation, including the political situation, at the Ministry of Education.

As priorities for the current parliamentary session, AUR will support an initiative to index pensions and allowances to the inflation rate, as well as a bill to eliminate the tax on first homes."

Translated by: Radu Matei