Romanian PM Emil Boc Drops Social Democrat Dan Nica as Interior Minister - TV

“I proposed the replacement of the Interior Minister,” Boc told reporters on Monday.

Dan Nica, a member of the Social Democratic Party, PSD, was named Interior Minister in February. The dismissal deepens the fractures in the ruling coalition of centre-right Democratic-Liberal Party, PD-L, and leftist PSD, which took office in Romania following general elections held on November 30.

PD-L leader Boc also said on Monday that the PSD has 24 hours to present a proposal for a new Interior Minster and if the party fails, Boc will name an interim minister.

"Today's attack throws Romania in a political crisis without precedent [...] which coupled with the economic one can have extremely complex and grave effects. The responsibility of this crisis belongs to the president Traian Basescu and the premier Emil Boc," Realitatea TV quoted Nica as saying.

PSD spokesman Bogdan Duvaz, also on Monday said that his party supports Nica.

“[...] the replacement of the Interior Minister was done with the intention to rig the vote in the presidential elections,” Duvaz told reporters.

Romania will hold presidential elections on November 22.