05/09/2010
BUCHAREST, Romania -- Six new ministers took their oaths of office Friday (September 3rd) before President Traian Basescu. The move came a day after Prime Minister Emil Boc announced that six would be replaced. They were Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu, Agriculture Minister Mihail Dumitru, Transport Minister Radu Berceanu, Communication Minister Gabriel Sandu, Labour Minister Mihai Seitan, and Economy Minister Adriean Videanu. The new appointees are Gheorghe Ialomiteanu (finance), Ioan Botis (labour), Valeriu Tabara (agriculture), Valerian Vreme (communications), Anca Boagiu (transport) and Ion Ariton (economy). All of them are members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
The reshuffle comes amid a major drop in the government's popularity due to the implementation of tough austerity measures. The head of the IMF mission to Romania, Jeffrey Franks, said on Saturday he expects no major policy change from Bucharest. (Reuters - 04/09/10; Mediafax, Agerpres, Romanian Times - 03/09/10)