Romanian Pres Invited Parties To Talks, Following Boc Cabinet Removal

Basescu said his goal is to keep the period of political instability to a minimum and that he will follow the Constitution and take the parties’ positions into consideration when appointing the new Cabinet.

Basescu said he regards the way the Government was unseated as „democratic” and „constitutional.” The President thanked Prime Minister Emil Boc for „his courage in pushing reform forward,” noting some of the Boc Cabinet’s „achievements,” including the adoption of the Civil and Criminal Codes and the unitary wage law.

According to the Romanian Constitution, the President puts forward a candidate for the position of Prime Minister, after conferring with the party which holds the majority of seats in Parliament. Within 10 days, the candidate must submit the entire list of Cabinet members and the Cabinet’s program to a vote of confidence in Parliament. The vote is taken in a joint meeting of the two Houses of Parliament.

Social Democratic Party president Mircea Geoana said that talks between the Parties have the priority and that meetings with the President should take place on Wednesday. This way, Geoana said, the Parties will be able to put forward „a coherent position.” According to its president, the Social Democratic Party wants a new Cabinet, made up of „independent specialists,” to be appointed as soon as possible.

Emil Boc’s minority government lost a confidence vote in Parliament Tuesday, as lawmakers voted 254 to 176 to overthrow the Cabinet, a first in Romania’s twenty years of post-communist history.