Romanian Govt OKed Dismissal Of Bucharest Prefect – Sources

Deaconescu told MEDIAFAX Tuesday he had information the government would decide his dismissal in Wednesday’s cabinet meeting.

Deaconescu is known as a close acquaintance of the transport minister, liberal Ludovic Orban, who is also head of the Liberal Party’s Bucharest branch. Orban had a dispute Monday with Liberal Party leader, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, who said leaders of party branches that scored less than 15% in local polls should resign.

Liberal sources said the reason behind the dismissal is Deaconescu’s announced plan to sue the Official Gazette for 33,072 voting ballots found missing, after the counting of the forms, from the 1,973,506 forms ordered in the capital city’s six districts.

Deaconescu was promoted Bucharest prefect in August last year, when the government dismissed Mioara Mantale from the position.