Cabinet Setup Talks Fail: "Transparent Majority" Tells Off PM Designate

• The Prime Minister Designate wants to continue negotiations until the end of the ten days allowed by the Constitution

• The "transparent majority" plans to formalize its support for Johannis in Parliament today

cThe leaders of the aforementioned parties reiterated their support for Klaus Johannis, the Mayor of Sibiu, and refused to extend parliamentary support to the Prime Minister designated by President Basescu and his prospective Cabinet. The politicians even suggested to Lucian Croitoru to step aside and decline his designation, hinting that a prolongation of the current state of affairs could affect his reputation and career.

Upon concluding the meeting with Lucian Croitoru, Social Democratic Party (PSD) President Mircea Geoana repeated that the parliamentary majority continued to support Klaus Johannis and suggested Croitoru to decline his designation because his prospective Government had no chance to secure a vote of confidence in Parliament.

Geoana commented that the clarification meeting with the parliamentary majority had "shortened" the suffering of Prime Minister Designate Lucian Croitoru, whom he advised to step aside, as the ongoing situation could affect his career and reputation.

In turn, National Liberal Party (PNL) First Vice President Ludovic Orban said he had advised Lucian Croitoru that "if he cares about Romania and really wants to do something good for Romania" he had better decline his designation because "every day of postponing the appointment of a legitimate Government is adding to the severe social, economic and institutional problems of the country."

In turn, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) President Marko Bela made it clear that supporting Lucian Croitoru was out of question, as the parliamentary majority had already agreed on who should be designated as Prime Minister.

• Croitoru stands his ground

Prime Minister Designate Lucian Croitoru told the political parties that he was "nobody"s pawn," but rather a solution for the country under the current crisis circumstances.

Upon the end of the talks with the parliamentary parties, which he described as "very interactive," Croitoru emphasized that negotiations would continue and declined commenting on the option to decline his designation.

Lucian Croitoru further said that, should the political gridlock not be solved rapidly through the appointment of a Government, Romania"s relation with the IMF would start to complicate. He stressed that the 3.5 billion EUR, which the country needed until the end of the year, would be very hard to obtain by different means.

"I have tried to convince them and explain to them the economic situation. I told them how fast financial markets react, I told them about how difficult it was to obtain a loan of the magnitude we need, 3.5 billion EUR, and I explained in detail a number of issues that I cannot explain before the press. However, they are the decision-makers in this country. I believe that I sent them a message that was understood to a great extent. We will see what happens next," Lucian Croitoru stated.

• Parliament called to formalize the "transparent majority"

The Parliament leadership has decided to call a plenary meeting for today to witness the political statement regarding the support that PSD, PNL, UDMR and the parliamentary group of the minorities have decided to extend to Klaus Johannis for the office of Prime Minister. The meeting will also review the letter regarding the referendum. The announcement was made by Mihai Voicu MP (PNL), Secretary of the Chamber of Deputies, and was confirmed by Senate Speaker Mircea Geoana (PSD).

The opposition parties are trying to formalize in Parliament the majority they have claimed to have since the Boc Government was dismissed in order to subsequently approach President Basescu to have him designate Klaus Johannis as Prime Minister, based on the parliamentary support of such majority. This scenario was anticipated by BURSA, which on Monday published the information that, at the initiative of PNL President Crin Antonescu, the three political parties forming the new presumed majority wanted to make it formal in Parliament, in order to have it taken down in the minutes of meeting and thus present President Basescu with formal proof of such majority.

Moreover, the opposition leaders will also be able to use the minutes of meeting stating their majority as an attachment to the complaint they intend to file with the Constitutional Court, if President Basescu rejects their proposal to designate Johannis. Mircea Geoana further announced that the parliamentary majority would send President Traian Basescu a letter asking him to revoke his designation of Lucian Croitoru.

• Johannis already has Cabinet, ruling programme prepared

Klaus Johannis, the Mayor of Sibiu and the person selected by the parliamentary majority for designation as Prime Minister, yesterday said on television that he had already prepared a plan and a Cabinet of technocrats capable of delivering the country past the crisis.

Johannis declined offering details about his ruling programme, saying that he currently had no official position allowing him to do so.

The only certainty is that, if he becomes Prime Minister, Romania will have a Government of technocrats until the presidential elections and the probable option to replace such Government with a political Government afterwards.