I don't know about others, but two things drive me up the wall in daily life: imbecility and hypocrisy. And these "virtues" it seems USR Turda has mastered with particular skill.

The USR Turda branch, led by deputy Ciprian Rigman, a former PNL member by the way, published on Facebook the complete list of the 10 local councillors who voted against banning gambling in the city, accompanied by comments about each person's private life and faith. The vote took place two days ago in Turda Local Council, where out of 21 councillors, 10 rejected the ban, and USR immediately proceeded to moral cataloguing.

Simona Irimie, from AUR, "speaks frequently about traditional values, family, faith and closeness to the Church. When she had, however, the opportunity to vote on an issue with major social and moral impact, she chose to maintain gambling halls," writes the USR branch on its page. Claudiu Muraru, also AUR, "publicly assumes the image of a man close to Christian values. At the vote, he forgot about Christian morality and pronounced himself for maintaining the slot machines." Adrian Nap, same party, "photographs himself often in proximity to places of worship. In the Local Council, he voted for maintaining gambling, considering them, probably, compatible with Christian life."

Alina Gherman and Paul Năstase, both from PNL, appear described as "pawns on boss Matei's chessboard," a reference to mayor Cristian Matei, whom the USR branch accuses of controlling his councillors. Daniela Pîrlea, teacher and school principal, also PNL, becomes in the post responsible for the destinies of young people in the city. Horea Hudrea, Adonis Baba from PSD, Oana Nagy from AUR and Adrian Sălăgean from PNL complete the list of the "pro-slot machine" crowd, each with hidden motivations and moral weaknesses, according to USR's public accusations.

Turda councilor quit hospital board 11 days before opposition claimed credit

The supreme dilettantism spectacle: USR Turda's hypocrisy exposed

The idea of banning slot machines doesn't come from USR Turda, but was legislated at national level, with prime minister Ilie Bolojan among the architects. The law gives local councils the power to decide on banning gambling on each locality's territory. In large cities, where the budget can compensate for the loss of taxes from this industry, the ban was adopted without difficulty. In Turda, the debate took place with the participation of all parties, including employees of gambling halls, who said they would be left overnight without jobs.

The USR Turda branch is formed overwhelmingly of former PNL and PMP members, regrouped under the new flag. Ciprian Rigman, who leads the organization, was himself a PNL member until 2020. Marius Riter, who wrote on Facebook that the councillors who voted against the ban are "slaves of Matei," passed through POL, PNL and now USR. Funds for the branch's activity come from allowances and lump sums managed by Rigman, according to information published in the press.

About "Rigman's slaves" nothing is written in the branch's posts. Nor about the expenses from public money that the USR deputy would be hiding, as has been reported in the public space, does any mention appear. The branch manages to combine party-hopping with hypocrisy: it cries on Facebook about morality, but never explains why its members have changed more parties than ties in an electoral year.

The vote in Turda Local Council, 10 out of 21 for maintaining gambling halls, was neither the first nor the last in which the decision is interpreted according to who allies with whom. For USR Turda, the essence of the problem isn't whether slot machines stay or go, but who gets the last word in the post after the meeting. Turda residents have the right to know who supported maintaining gambling, they are told with emphasis on all channels. More useful would be to also know who manages public money in the USR branch, who changed more parties in a single mandate, and who will soon appear in the pro-transparency squad at the next round of Facebook accusations.