March 13 (SeeNews) - Romania's president Klaus Iohannis said on Friday that he has tasked interim prime minister Ludovic Orban with forming a transitional government a day after the previous prime minister designate, Florin Citu, gave up the mandate.
"It is impossible to imagine that during this coronavirus crisis, when we already have a solid team, we would change everything overnight, jeopardising what has been done so far. The only proposal that I have received during talks with parties is Ludovic Orban, whom I have nominated for the position of prime minister," Iohannis told a news conference broadcast by Digi24 TV channel.
Iohannis urged all parties to speed up the procedure so that the new government would be instated as soon as Saturday.
His announcement came after he held online talks with the parliamentary-represented political parties on the formation of a new government.
Earlier in the day Orban said that all government members, as well as some members of his National Liberal Party (PNL) will go into self-quarantine for 14 days after a senator they were in contact with tested positive for coronavirus.
"We have asked the health minister to quickly create an epidemiological investigation mechanism for all the colleagues. They will all be tested. As for me, I will stay self-isolated at [the government] Villa Lac 1 where I will continue to perform my duties," Orban told a news conference broadcast by Digi24 TV channel.
Romania has confirmed 73 coronavirus cases as of Friday, latest data from the National Institute of Public Health, INSP, showed.
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