Romanian Leftist Leader Says President, PM Approach ’10 State Budget Issue „Irresponsibly”

Geoana also said this situation „dangerously” delays the next disbursement from the International Monetary Fund of the EUR20 billion aid package Romania secured early in the year, stressing the review mission of IMF and European Commission officials is highly unlikely to come to Bucharest in December.

Geoana said Basescu and Boc are acting „irresponsibly” and are playing games with the state budget, which involves pensions, salaries, investments and fiscal measures meant to cope with the economic crisis.

Basescu has recently endorsed a law amended by Parliament to allow the caretaker government to submit the 2010 draft state budget, but Boc said earlier Tuesday the state budget for 2010 should be proposed by the new Government, since this structure will be the one called to take the measures necessary for implementation.

Asked whether the IMF representatives will now come to Bucharest, Boc said „their statements were clear: we will come when there is stability”.

The Romanian Social Democratic Party submitted Tuesday to the Constitutional Court their request to annul and repeat the presidential election runoff, saying the election was rigged.

Romania needs to have a stable government with full powers to start getting further disbursements of a EUR20 billion IMF-led bailout loan it relies on. However, Basescu’s democrat liberals will have to seek political compromise because a new Cabinet needs 236 lawmaker votes to pass.