USR congress in Timișoara: Fritz and Miruță target PSD and the Niculescu government

Congress elects a new leadership and reviews the record

The USR congress in Timișoara on Saturday, 31 October, is electing the 24 members of a new National Bureau, with about 600 delegates voting from across the country. Dominic Fritz's mandate as party president is not at stake at this congress. Delegates adopted a document that reviews the work of the USR ministers, sets out the party's principles in opposition and outlines its course for a future government. Fritz lost his post as Timișoara mayor after losing a case with the National Integrity Agency (ANI) in June. The High Court of Cassation and Justice then ruled definitively that he is in a conflict of interest.

The document cites results from five ministers: Diana Buzoianu, Oana Țoiu, Radu Miruță, Irineu Darău and Ionuț Moșteanu. According to the party, forestry directorates were cut from 41 to 19, and illegal logging is now tracked by satellite. At the Defence ministry, 238 controls stopped irregularities worth 800 million lei. The party also says the SAFE programme brought Romania over 16 billion euros, the second-largest allocation in the EU. Professional selections were launched at 23 state companies, five defence factories were relaunched, and a planned rise in metro ticket prices was stopped.

Fritz rules out backing PSD and sets out a reformist agenda

Fritz told delegates that the party had promised one simple thing before the censure motion.

“We promised one simple thing: we will not be the ladder on which PSD climbs back to power.”

The party says it wants a government without PSD and without AUR, built with citizens, mayors and reformist forces, with PNL as an equal partner. From opposition, USR says it will table a counter-draft for every harmful PSD law and will firmly oppose any tax increase. Its listed priorities include cutting the budget deficit, trimming state privileges, ending limitation periods as a route to escape justice and giving parliament real control over the secret services. The document also names anti-drone protection on the eastern border, support for Ukraine and Moldova, and a return to electing mayors in two rounds.

Pressure on the Niculescu government

Fritz criticised Prime Minister Luca Niculescu's non-confrontational style and argued that his relationship with PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu could let the social democrats dictate the government's direction. He said trust in Niculescu will be measured by how often he says no to PSD and refuses to sign its measures. Fritz pointed to deadlines Grindeanu has set for the government: the deficit clarified by 1 November and the budget by 1 December. He added that PSD will evaluate the prime minister after six months, and noted that PSD holds 11 ministers in the Niculescu cabinet. Fritz also accused AUR of secretly backing PSD in order to reverse steps taken by USR members in the Bolojan government. He described AUR as the system's safety valve, which he said channels public anger away from the real culprits.

Țoiu and Miruță attack Grindeanu

Former foreign minister Oana Țoiu accused Grindeanu of lacking the courage to return to government and said he had chosen a new role as the country's chief wailer. She tied her criticism to the protests against Ordinance 13.

“Grindeanu, after Romania took to the streets to stop Ordinance 13, no longer has the courage to return to government.”

Ţoiu also claimed that PSD would lose two thirds of the PNRR funding negotiated for 27 hospitals, along with one billion euros owed to Romania. Radu Miruță, one of the five USR ministers in the outgoing government, mocked Grindeanu's budget claims. Grindeanu had accused the former government of leaving debts and said he was pursuing 'deuserizarea' of the ministries.

“Mr Grindeanu is looking for an imaginary hole in the national budget.”

Miruță suggested that Grindeanu might also find Ciolacu's baccalaureate diploma and the investor meetings held by Ponta and Manole in Mykonos. He said PSD's complaints since its return to government 11 days earlier show that ministerial posts overwhelm its members.