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BUCHAREST (Romania), October 15 (SeeNews) – Romania’s President Traian Basescu on Thursday nominated Lucian Croitoru, an advisor to the central bank governor, as prime minister-designate two days after the country’s minority government fell in a no-confidence vote.
Basescu told reporters he had considered three nominations, adding that Croitoru was his own proposal.
Croitoru, 52, is not affiliated with any political party. He would replace Emil Boc, leader of the Democrat-Liberal Party, as head of government.
The prime minister-designate has 10 days to form a new cabinet and present it to parliament for approval.
“My choice of Croitoru was based on the fact that we need a prime minister who is versed in economic and macroeconomic issues, both at national and international level,” Basescu said.
Basescu also said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided to postpone its second review mission to Romania under its financing agreement with the country until a new government takes office. Initially, the review mission was scheduled to start on October 21.
Romania signed a 20 billion euro ($29.8 billion) aid deal with the IMF, the European Union and the World Bank in March to support its crisis-hit economy.
“We will get a tranche of $300 million from the World Bank next week, and this tranche is not at risk, but we also need to receive two more tranches by the end of the year [to finance the country’s budget gap]," Basescu added.
Romania is dependent on IMF aid to cover its budget deficit which widened to 4.5% of the projected gross domestic product in the first eight months of 2009.
Following Basescu’s announcement, Croitoru said one of his priorities as head of government would be delivering on the commitments the country has made to the IMF.
The Parliament opposition parties - the Social Democratic Party, PSD, the National Liberal Party, PNL, and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, UDMR, had nominated the mayor of the central city of Sibiu, Klaus Johannis, 50, for premier. The Liberals, Social Democrats and Ethnic Hungarians control two-thirds of the 471 seats in parliament.
The ruling Democrat-Liberals had proposed a politician, Basescu said without naming the candidate.
Following Basescu’s speech, the leaders of PNL and PSD said their parties will not back Croitoru.
Late on Wednesday Basescu said Romania needed a government of national unity and asked the political parties to continue talks on nominating a new prime minister backed by all political parties.
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