Romanian Social Dem Leader Says PM Must Discuss Reshuffle Plans Within Coalition

"The prime minister cannot decide all by himself to dismiss Ecaterina Andronescu. We have a coalition and this proposition will be discussed within the coalition," Geoana said.

Romania's democrat liberal Prime Minister Emil Boc said Friday he asked the social democrat education minister to cancel the order she passed recently entitling her to replace and appoint school principals, and said he would dismiss her if the act is applied.

Boc said he spoke to the education minister on the phone and asked her to cancel the order and added Andronescu assured him the act would not be applied.

Andronescu said later Friday she will have a talk with the prime minister and explain why she passed the order over which he threatened to oust her from the Cabinet.

Asked whether she would conform to the prime minister's request to block the application of the order she passed Wednesday and which sets that school principals are appointed by the ministry instead of local school inspectorates, Andronescu said she will first have a talk with Boc and explain the act.

After she was accused by democrat liberal lawmakers of passing the act to leave room for political appointments in school management boards, Andronescu said on Antena 3 that she passed the order specifically to avoid appointments by political criteria and make sure school and kindergarten managers are selected based on professional criteria only.

Before the prime minister said he threatened to dismiss her, Andronescu had told a news conference she does not regret passing the order, but regrets not having explained it.

Andronescu issued an order Wednesday that bans school inspectorates from appointing school principals and assistants and stipulates that school managers will be appointed at the proposition of the managing boards of school inspectorates.

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