The Tariceanu Executive Is Almost Complete

The Executive led by [Calin Popescu] Tariceanu is likely to get Parliament approval on 29 December, after the Romanian Humanist Party decided to jump boat, leaving the Social Democrat Party for the alliance of the National Liberal and Democrat parties. The former PM will be aided by three deputy PMs: Adriean Videanu, of the DP, George Copos, of the RHP, and Marko Bela of the Democrat Union of Hungarians in Romania.

It can safely be said that the NLP, DP and DUHR had no time to enjoy the Christmas holidays, since the RHP announced on 23 December that will give its support to the center-right alliance of parties struggling to win a majority vote in the Parliament. The political leaders fret over this past week-end to arrive at a final make for the Executive, which PM Tariceanu was to announce by Sunday, 7 p.m. local time.

Sunday morning it was not yet clear who will fill in the positions of the Justice, Defense and Home Affairs ministries. The liberals wanted Cristian Iordanescu, the current head of the Bucharest Barristers Association, for the Justice Ministry, while the democrats wanted Emil Boc, mayor of Cluj city, for the same position. Others said not Boc, but another person originating from Cluj will fill in the position.

For the Transportation Ministry a number of names were circulated: Adriean Videanu, but also Gheorghe Dobre, in charge with the transportation department in the Bucharest City Hall, or Laurentiu Moisescu, deputy from the Constanta County, former director of the Constanta Port Area Administration. Sorin Frunzaverde was first deemed as future Defense minister, but then was said to become minister for European Integration. The Environment Ministry was to go to Ion Oltean, of the DP, who held the same position before.

The DP was deemed to get the Ministry of Education, though a day before liberal Andrei Marga was considered a sure option for the position. Gheorghe Flutur, of the NLP, was to be in charge of the Agriculture, while the Health Ministry was to go to Mircea Cinteza, of the same party, and president of the Physicians’ Association.

For the same position, however, the DUHR wanted to name Benedek Imre, from Targu Mures.

The liberals were also likely to get the Ministry of Finance, for Ionut Popescu, the Executive Secretariat, for Mihai Voicu, and put Bogdan Olteanu as minister in charge with relations with the Parliament.

The few names certain to take governmental positions belonged to Razvan Ungureanu, for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Gheorghe Barbu, for the Ministry of Work, Mona Musca, for the Ministry of Culture, Codrut Seres, for the Ministry of the Economy, and Laszlo Borbely, of the DUHR , for the Ministry for Public Works. The HRP was to take the Authority for Control.

Before this edition went to print, the political leaders were at Cotroceni Palace to consult with President Traian Basescu. At 2 p.m. the make of the government was to be discussed by the respective extended leaderships of the NLP, DP, RHP and DUHR. At 7 p.m., PM designate Tariceanu was to make public the names of the people filling in the top positions in his government, so that the nominees to be interviewed on Monday by the special committees in the House of Deputies and the Senate.

President Basescu stated he was optimistic about the Executive being able to start working by the end of the year. "I am sure the government structure will be final so as to get Parliament approval on 29 December," said Basescu on Saturday.

Before the paper going to print, sources informed us that the NLP, DP and the DUHR already decided which ministries they will each get. DP was to lead the ministries of Work (Gheorghe Barbu), of European Integration (Cristian Parvulescu, former director in the Bucharest City Hall), of Home Affairs (Vasile Blaga), of Justice (Monica Macovei, president of the ngo APADOR-Helsinki Committee), of Environment (Sulfina Barbu, leading the same direction in the Bucharest City Hall), of Education (Mircea Miclea), of Transportation (Gheorghe Dobre, leading the same direction in the Bucharest City Hall), and for Social Partners (Cristian Radulescu). For its part, the NLP was to get the ministries of Foreign Affairs, of Defense (Teodor Athansiu), of Finance, of the Relationship with the Parliament and the Secretariat of the Executive. The DUHR was to get the ministries of Communication, of Public Works (Laszlo Borbely) and of Commerce. The RHP was to get the Ministry of the Economy (Codrut Seres) and the Authority for Control (Sorin Vicol).