Prime Minister: We Will Discuss President’s Refusal To Appoint Minister In The Ruling Coalition

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced on Thursday that the country’s ruling PSD-ALDE coalition will meet to decide on what actions it will take regarding President Klaus Iohannis’ repeated refusals to appoint Lia Olguta Vasilescu as regional development minister.

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The prime minister accused the president again of attempting to block the Government’s activity.

“Even if I would make another proposal, I believe that the president aims to block the Government’s activity, which can be seen by the fact that he requested my resignation seven times (…) We will have a meeting within the PSD-ALDE coalition and we will make a decision,” Dancila said an in interview for Antena 3.

The Romanian chief of cabinet also criticized the reasons offered by the president for rejecting Vasilescu’s nomination, who she said has gathered enough experience for the role while she served as mayor of Craiova.

“What is being reproached to Mrs. Lia Olguta Vasilescu seems unbelievable to me. Lack of experience? She was a mayor, she was appointed by Mr. Iohannis as a minister the first time. It is ill-will and a boycott of Governmental activity. Iohannis must be a mediator. How is it seen that, for 70 days, the Romanian Government is facing the absence of two full-time ministers for regional development and transports?” the prime minister added.

The president again rejected the Government’s nomination of Vasilescu for the office of regional development minister on Thursday, and requested the prime minister to propose a different candidate for the office.

This is the fifth time the president rejected the former labor minister for a cabinet role since mid-December 2018, when she was initially proposed for the office of transports minister.

The head of state argued in a letter sent to Prime Minister Viorica Dancila that Vasilescu, a former mayor of Craiova and labor minister, does not have specialized training in any of the fields concerning the regional development office.

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