Romanian parliament rejects PM-designate,cabinet

The Romanian parliament on Wednesday rejected Prime Minister-designate Lucian Croitoru and his proposed cabinet, plunging the eastern European nation deeper into political instability.

The parliament voted 250 to 189 against Croitoru. He needed 236votes to be approved.

Croitoru, the Central Bank advisor and a nominee of President Traian Basescu, told the joint sitting of the parliament before the vote that the country's financial situation had been significantly affected by the political crisis.

He stressed that a potential halt of the country's agreement with the International Monetary Fund would bear serious consequences for its external credibility.

Only the ruling Democrat Liberal Party voted for Croitoru's cabinet, while other parties - Social Democratic Party, National Liberal Party and Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania - all voted against.

Representatives of the nation's 18 minorities did not take part in the vote.

Political crisis in Romania became increasingly intense after the collapse of the Democrat Liberal government on Oct. 13, following a no-confidence motion by the opposition.

Analysts warned that the coming two tranches of IMF-led loan package may be delayed by the prolonged political crisis.

The opposition in the parliament said they would support a government led by the mayor of Sibiu, Klaus Johannis, an ethnic German, but Basescu was reluctant to designate him.

Under the Romanian Constitution, "Romania's president could dismiss the parliament, if the latter fails to give its vote of confidence to shape a government within 60 days since the first demand and only after rejecting of at least two demands of investiture."


Source: Xinhua