ATTACK ON THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS: Government coalition goes off the rails

• Internal Affairs Minister Dan Nica, sacked by Prime Minister Emil Boc

• PD-L and PSD give each other 24 hour ultimatums to save the Coalition

• President Băsescu urges both parties to show responsibility

A new huge scandal arose between governing partners PSD and PD-L, after prime Minister Boc announced the sacking of the Minister of Administration and Internal Affairs, Dan Nica.

This makes social-democrat Dan Nica the third internal affairs minister to be dismissed, after Gabriel Oprea and Liviu Dragnea. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is the institution responsible with organizing the presidential elections.

Prime-Minister Emil Boc said that the minister"s statement about "electoral tourism", he has cast an unfounded shadow of doubt over the fairness of the presidential elections.

The head of the government has given democrats 24 hours to come up with a new proposal for the tenure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or else he would appoint a new minister himself.

"They have 24 hours to reach a decision, following which I will weigh my options, given the human resources available", Boc said.

• Vasile Blaga, suggested as a temporary replacement

Liberal-democrats have already prepared a replacement for Dan Nica: Vasile Blaga, who would also take over the position of vice-prime minister, momentarily held by PSD, through Dan Nica.

What makes it even worse for social-democrats is the fact that Dan Nica, through his position as vice-prime minister, provided a balance in the coalition, especially since he is about to be replaced with Blaga, who is none other than the coordinator of the presidential campaign of the PD-L.

The National Permanent Panel of the social-democrat leaders affirmed their support for Dan Nica.

• PSD forces Emil Boc to revoke their decision

Social Democrats expressed their hope that the prime-minister would go back on his decision and gave him a 24 hour ultimatum to do so, threatening with a government crisis.

"Mr. Boc has 24 hours to go back on his decision. It takes an irresponsible person to create a Governmental crisis, on top of the economic crisis that Romania is going through", PSD spokesman, Bogdan Niculescu Duvăz said.

He explained that the protocol of the coalition was breached because the decision to dismiss Dan Nica was made unilaterally by PD-L.

Duvăz warned that "the Government will disappear" if Emil Boc does not go back on his decision and warned that PSD will blame the crisis on Traian Băsescu who backed this government.

"Nobody has the right to use the Government as a tool to get reelected, not even Traian Băsescu", Duvăz said.

• Băsescu, accused of being "obsessed" with taking control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

PSD leader, Mircea Geoană accused Emil Boc that he is a " political instrument" used by Traian Băsescu, who is "obsessed" with taking control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Geoană also said that in yesterday"s meeting of the coalition, members of PD-L criticized Social-Democrats for being part of the Parliamentary commissions investigating minister Udrea and Monica Ridzi.

Dan Nica yesterday said that he will continue his work as a minister, in spite of the decision of Emil Boc, which he labeled as "an attack that pushes Romania into an unprecedented crisis".

Nica warned that this crisis "could have extremely serious effects", and the responsibility for it will rest with Traian Băsescu and Emil Boc.

However, Geoană added that his party will try to avoid a political crisis, "if possible", when asked by journalists if his party was considering negotiating with other parties.

Gheorghe Flutur: "We are surprised by the reaction of PSD. We do not want a breakup of the coalition"

Vice-president of the Democrat-Liberals, Gheorghe Flutur, said that they want to maintain the governing coalition and said his party was "surprised" by the vehement reaction of the PSD leaders.

"PD-L is extremely surprised by PSD"s threats, which do not seem to understand that their emotional reaction could trigger an institutional crisis", Flutur said, who expressed his conviction that PSD will nominate a replacement.

In order to solve the conflict, president Traian Băsescu already announced his intention to mediate a discussion between the two governing parties.

Băsescu yesterday said he did not yet receive the decision for the dismissal of Dan Nica and urged both parties to be responsible: "Both parties need to cool their heads quickly".

The president"s statement received a similar reply from Mircea Geoană: "He should go cool his head himself!"