PM-designate to file in Parliament the list of ministers. Ludovic Orban warns on salary-related risk

PNL leader Ludovic Orban is filing the ruling programme and the list of ministers in Parliament today, not before being also validated by the Liberal leadership and by President Klaus Iohannis.

The PM-designate has concluded the negotiations with the parliamentary parties on Wednesday, with all, except Pro Romania, promising to endorse his Cabinet.

At present, the Liberals need nine more votes to reach the necessary 233 votes to have their Gov’t invested in Parliament.

According to the latest reckoning, Orban can count on 224 negotiated votes. It already has 97 votes from his party, PNL, and the others come from; UDMR-30 votes, USR-39 votes (one MP missing), ALDE-24, PMP – 18 and national minorities group- 16 (one MP missing).

Negotiations are under way with 25 more lawmakers.

“I trust that enough MPs, at least 233, will understand it is vital for Romania to have a legitimate government, the same way there were 238 lawmakers who understood the necessity of terminating the PSD ruling”, Orban stated.

The list of ministers before talks with President Iohannis

Prime Minister-Ludovic Orban

Deputy PM – Raluca Turcan

Development Minister – Ionuț Ștefan

Defence Minister – Nicolae Ciucă

Finance Minister- Florin Cîțu

Economy Minister- Virgil Popescu

EU Funds – Marcel Boloș

Justice Minister – Cătălin Predoiu

Interior Minister – Marcel Vela

Foreign Minister – Bogdan Aurescu

Transports-Lucian Bode

Education Minister – Monica Anisie

Health Minister – Victor Costache

Labour Minister – Violeta Alexandru

Culture Minister – Bogdan Gheorghiu

Environment Minister- Costel Alexe

Agriculture Minister- Adrian Oros

Youth and Sport Minister- Marian Ionut Stroe

Ruling programme and warnings

Orban has also presented the PNL ruling programme a 65-page document encompassing as main actions the amending of the justice laws, restoring the citizens’ confidence in the public institutions, the professionalization of the public administration, enhancing the rule of law, countering corruption, increasing the quality of education and healthcare services, economic growth on healthy grounds and increasing the absorption rate of the European funds.

The ruling programme proposed by the Liberals does not include any reference to potential early elections, only mentioning as short term goals “the organisation and correct deployment of the political elections due in 2020,” as well as the upcoming presidential election, on November 10 (first round), and November 24 (runoffs).

The premier-designate has called on every MP “to not comply with the boycott planned by desperate people who want to cover the traces of their damages”. Orban stated that the Government’s swearing-in must be done as soon as possible, in order to adopt the budget rectification, otherwise there is the risk that local administrations won’t pay salaries and allowances for disabled people”.

Asked if he considers layoffs in the budgetary sector, the PM-designate replied: “There is the option of layoffs, of course”.

Ponta says Pro Romania won’t vote the Orban Gov’t

Pro Romania leader Victor Ponta says his party won’t vote the Orban Cabinet, which will yet pass with the PSD votes. Ponta argued that Ludovic Orban is “not able” to be a good premier and he also doubted PNL and its partners will be able “to take the country out of crisis.”

“I don’t think Ludovic Orban is capable to be a good prime minister and I won’t vote him, regardless of the pressures, threats and injuries against me, I don’t think a PNL Government, having a shady and unstable partnership with Mr. Barna, Băsescu, Hunor, Tăriceanu, Borza etc,will take the country out of crisis! I WON’T vote for Orban PNL Government, you can make me a new file, just like in 2015 (…) I resist!”, Ponta announced on Faebook.

PSD’s Viorica Dancila makes new blunder, mistakes Ludovic Orban for Viktor Orban

PSD chairwoman Viorica Dancila has mistaken Liberal leader and Romanian PM-designate Ludovic Orban for the Hungarian premier Viktor Orban in a speech to the party branch in Maramures, according to G4Media.

“We didn’t think of replacing PM Viorica Dancila with Viktor Orban”, she said. However, she corrected herself soon.

“It is a resemblance, but they are totally different as involvement”, she added.