Romanian Parliament Endorses Cabinet Proposed by PM-Designate Boc

Romania must restart key reforms of the economy and the justice system in order to win back the trust of international lenders, a key condition for the release of the next instalments of a 20-billion euro ($28.5 billion) bailout package led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The two chambers of parliament approved the new ministerial team in a 276-135 vote, while 59 members of parliament abstained or were absent. The cabinet needed a simple majority to be endorsed in the 470-seat legislature.

Opposition parties PSD and PNL had said they would not back Boc's government. The Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party together control 234 seats in parliament.

Boc’s Democratic-Liberal Party, PD-L, controls eight of the 17 seats in the cabinet and the Hungarian minority party, UDMR, has four seats. The cabinet has five independent members.

Boc's previous cabinet fell in a no-confidence vote in October and has governed with limited powers since then. Last week President Traian Basescu nominated Boc as prime minister-designate.

Boc has kept key ministers of the outgoing government including economy minister Adriean Videanu, transport minister Radu Berceanu, interior minister Vasile Blaga and tourism minister Elena Udrea.

The new cabinet is expected to adopt the country’s 2010 budget draft on Thursday.

($ = 0.7017 euro)