Save Romania Union (USR) Chairman Dominic Fritz was reconfirmed on Tuesday as the party's leader during a meeting of the National Bureau, which also decided to convene a Political Committee meting to grant a vote of support following the Constitutional Court's decision that directly affects Fritz, USR Senator Stefan Palarie said.

'This is a meeting in which the USR Political Committee was convened for a single decision: reconfirming Dominic Fritz as USR Chairman after this ruling. I feel there was a lot of energy behind this convocation; it's a vote in the National Bureau. Our colleagues are as united as possible. And I have the sense, from what I see, that people in Timisoara are united as well, because this political vendetta - this use of a NRRP milestone to bring down a political opponent - will only anger ordinary citizens who want their vote to be respected. In this case, it's the vote Timisoara residents cast for electing Dominic Fritz as mayor for a second time,' Palarie said at Parliament.

According to him, 'we are witnessing the suspension of the rule of law in Romania.'

'I believe this will continue, and I believe any form of abuse in any society does not remain without consequences - in this case, the mobilization and unity of the people who still want to live in a democratic state. As Dominic Fritz said in yesterday's post, the consequences of the CCR decision amount to a suspension of the rule of law in Romania. And this cannot be ignored or brushed aside. I understand that Ilie Bolojan also posted today - stating that today it may be one person, tomorrow it may be someone else. I also believe that principles and laws are what protect each of us, and without them we fall into chaos,' the USR senator added.

Palarie said USR has consistently supported the application of the law.

'In the Administrative Code there are two distinct classifications, and it seems we need to clarify this every time: incompatibility and conflict of interest. In the case of mayor Dominic Fritz, the National Integrity Agency (ANI) proposed a conflict-of-interest ruling. These are two separate matters, with different sanctions. Yet certain parties have repeatedly tried to push the message that they are one and the same, which is absolutely not the case. I also recall PSD colleagues who were already pronouncing themselves on what sanction the Timisoara mayor should receive. And it is rather touching - with the due quotation marks - that Mr. Grindeanu says he will not comment on Dominic Fritz's situation, when we know very well that actions coming from the same Timis County, under Mr. Grindeanu's leadership, had a clear target. What was a NRRP milestone drafted over nearly a year by the Justice Ministry and ANI became a battleground through the patching-together of new provisions and amendments,' Palarie explained.

The USR Political Committee will meet on Wednesday at 18:00. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Catalina Matei; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)