THE NBR AND THE PSD HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT ON WHO TO SACRIFICE: "Tim Budget" - nominated for the position of prime-minister

Liviu Voinea, deputy governor and member of the Board of Directors of the NBR has been nominated by the PSD for the position of prime-minister.

The announcement was made last night by social-democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, following the consultations with president Klaus Iohannis.

Liviu Voinea was a member of the Ponta cabinet, between 2012-2014, holding the position of delegate-minister for the Budget. At the time, he used to be called "Tim Budget", a nickname which never seemed to bother the former budget author, who previously used to work as secretary of state in the Ministry of Public Finance.

Last night, Liviu Dragnea said that Liviu Voinea meets the expertise and integrity requirements, saying that president Iohannis views him as a reasonable nomination. Also, the PSD leader said that, before making this proposal, he has also consulted with the leaders of the coalition, who view the nomination of Voinea as "reasonable".

Dragnea further said that he had a talk with the NBR governor, who assured him that if Voinea gets appointed as prime-minister, he will have the full support of the NBR.

NBR governor Mugur Isărescu yesterday ruled out the idea that he could take over the position of prime-minister and said that the new prime-minister should be young, in response to questions concerning the possibility of an NBR representative taking over the prime-minister position.

"I understand that the chances of a technocratic government are high. I think that such a government could deal with challenges if it had a clear and limited mandate, with macroeconomic stability goals. (...) Why not? (ed. note: when asked whether the prime-minister could come from the NBR). But it should be a young person. After all, the requests in the market are for young people, after all! Different generation, different aspirations", Mugur Isărescu said to the questions addressed by journalists.

In his opinion, "you can't ask them for simply everything", referring to the potential members of a technocratic government, considering that they are not politicians and they are people that have not previously made public appearances.

The executive should have clear set goals, such as clear, quiet elections, preserving the economic macrostability and economic growth, which is "perfectly feasible".

Mugur Isărescu compared the current situation to that of the year 2000, when he led a government of technocrats for a year and the results were positive, "even though there was no stability and no growth, inflation and deficits were high, there were many imbalances, and financing was completely absent".

"For better or for worse, we have returned to a minimum of economic growth, the imbalances have been limited and the elections have been free and fair. Why wouldn't there be one in 2015 as well (ed. note: a technocratic government), if there is understanding and political consensus to support this government, with clear goals?", the governor of the NBR further said, mentioning that the new government should have the "ambition" to do something for the business sector as well.

Lately, the name of Mugur Isărescu has been mentioned among those who could hold the position of prime-minister, after Victor Ponta resigned.

Traian Băsescu said, on Friday night, that president Klaus Iohannis already knows the name of the prime-minister he is going to appoint, namely Dacian Cioloş. The name of Cioloş has been making the rounds for a while now, as a potential nomination as prime-minister, and has even been mentioned in an ING report, as he is even liked by the National Liberal Party (PNL).

By the time the newspaper went to print last night, the PNL had not yet announced its nomination for the chief seat of the executive.

When Klaus Iohannis was elected as president, the liberals' proposal for the position of prime-minister was Cătălin Predoiu, first vice-president of the PNL. On November 5th, at the end of the consultations in the Cotroceni Palace, the co-president of the liberals, Vasile Blaga said that, after the elections are won, the PNL would nominate Cătălin Predoiu as prime-minister. At the present time however, liberals have announced that they prefer a technocratic government.

Other potential nominations that have been mentioned as possible replacements for Ponta are sociologist Vasile Dâncu and the president of the European Research Center of the Club of Rome Călin Georgescu.

The president yesterday said he would make a nomination of his own for the prime-minister position.

• Remus Borza: "I have proved that I can generate performance where other people used to say that there was nothing more to be done"

"I am ready to accept any position in the state apparatus. The question is whether the state is ready for such a challenge", lawyer Remus Borza posted yesterday on Facebook, in response to some articles published in the media which were discussing his potential nomination as prime-minister.

He also wrote: "I have proved that I can generate performance where other peop,e used to say that there was nothing more to be done. Romanian politics needs a profound change. We need to rediscover and apply those principles and values which belong to the identity of the Romanian nation, which were abandoned during 25 years of transition from nowhere to nowhere. Doctrines and ideologies matter less. What truly matters are people!"

Remus Borza is currently the receiver of Hidroelectrica.