Two weeks after Interior Minister Luciano Bode was found guilty of plagiarism, the Liberals are refusing to comment or take action against him. Even though Lucian Bode recently asked to have a book published based on his doctoral dissertation removed, PNL leaders continue to build a wall around him. It should be noted that other liberal ministers accused of plagiarism, such as Sorin Kimpeanu or Florin Roman, did not use the party’s protection.

Since the January 11 plagiarism decision by the Babes Bolay University Ethics Committee, until now the Liberals have not discussed in statutory forums the situation of the Minister of the Interior and, at the same time, the General Secretary of the PNL, Lucian Bode.

In addition, PNL leaders consistently refused to publicly comment on his situation and convene a meeting of the PNL leadership to discuss his plagiarism.

After 15 days in which the Liberals were silent on the subject, HotNews.ro renewed the question about the sanctions that will be imposed on Lucian Bode.

Of the four first vice-presidents of the party, only two answered phone calls, but refused to comment on the interior minister’s plagiarism: Rares Bohdan and Dan Motreanu. Meanwhile, Iulian Dumitrescu and Gheorghe Flutur could not be contacted because their phones were switched off.

First Vice-President Raresh Bohdan stated that he is not interested in this topic, as he is solely engaged in the activities of a member of the European Parliament.

• Raresh Bohdan: “I strictly deal with the activities of a European parliamentarian and the Schengen issue. I refuse to comment on any topics of domestic politics, the activities of the government and the activities of ministers, or the functioning of the Coalition with the SDP and UDMR.”

Dan Motreanu also answered briefly: “I do not comment on this topic.”

PNL vice-president Alina Gorgiou said she did not want to comment because “the minister of the interior has given all the explanations he considered necessary.”

Another vice-president of the PNL, Robert Sigarteu, emphasized that he did not want to express his opinion publicly, but would do so “only in the statutory forums of the party.”

• Robert Sigarteu: “I don’t want to comment because I’m not going to tell you what I think and what needs to be said only within the party. These questions should be asked of the party president. Any discussions related to our colleagues cannot be discussed publicly, but must be discussed at the Politburo.”

HotNews.ro also reached out to PNL Vice President for Education Monika Anisi, but her adviser answered the call and assured us that he would forward the question to her. Until the publication of the article, Anisia did not send a reply.

Next week, at the start of the legislative session, the Liberals will meet for a Politburo meeting.

Some liberals hope that a round with the PSD will also solve the Bode problem

Unofficially, sources within the PNL have said that Lucian Bode continues to enjoy the support of PNL president Nicolae Chuke, as well as that of Klaus Iohannis.

• “So far there is no signal from President Klaus Iohannis against Bode. I think that his resignation will not be demanded, because there is no critical mass in the party. If anyone had suggested that Bode take a step back, we would have voted unanimously against it and the party would have faced each other again in the image section. Bode is unlikely to get another government post after defecting from the PSD in May“, the PNL leader told HotNews.ro.

Interior Minister Lucian Bode on Thursday requested the withdrawal of a book published on the basis of a doctoral thesis, in which case the Ethics Commission of Babes-Bolai University found plagiarism, edupedu.ro reports. Ethics Commission President Dačian Dragoš announced that he would comply with the request and the book would no longer be published or sold.

As a reminder, on January 11, the Babesh-Bolyai University Ethics Commission analyzed the doctoral dissertation of Interior Minister Lucian Bode and came to the conclusion that “suspicions of plagiarism are overwhelmingly confirmed” and “The revealed ethical violations are significant enough to conclude that this the thesis is deeply wrong.”

• Why did the liberals lose their voice and none of them demanded the resignation of Lucian Bode after the UBB decision about plagiarism? The role of the Minister of Internal Affairs in the PNL power equation