Romanian President Takes Part In Cabinet Meeting

The head of state arrived at Bucharest’s Victoria Palace together with presidential counsellors Leonard Orban (for European Affairs) and Mihaela Ciochina (legislative department).

Iohannis held a brief meeting with Prime Minister Viorica Dancila in her office, shortly after his arrival.

The Cabinet meeting was due to start shortly after a no-confidence motion against the Romanian Government failed in the Parliament.

The president initially announced on Monday that he will take part in upcoming cabinet meetings, in the context of Romania taking over the EU Council presidency in January 2019, but also of discussions in the ruling coalition regarding an emergency decree on amnesty and pardoning, which he called a “grave error”.

Iohannis also requested the Government to send him the work schedules for upcoming cabinet meetings 24 hours in advance.

However, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila replied on Tuesday that the Government will cooperate with the president if its work schedule for the meetings includes subjects of his constitutional competences – foreign policy, defense or public security -, but that she will decide whether the head of state will be invited to attend the meetings in other cases.