Main focus of Friday, October 16, 2009

Romania nominates new prime minister

After a vote of no confidence brought about the collapse of the government in Romania, President Traian Băsescu has nominated a high-ranking financial expert at Romania's central bank as the next prime minister. Explaining his choice on Thursday Băsescu said that the 52-year-old Lucian Croitoru was the best candidate in the present economic situation. The decision is controversial. The majority in parliament had spoken out in favour of the Romanian-German mayor of Sibiu Klaus Johannis.

Evenimentul Zilei - Romania

By nominating Lucian Croitoru for the office of prime minister Romanian President Traian Băsescu has alienated the political parties, including his own, the daily Evenimentul Zilei writes, noting that many would have preferred Klaus Johannis the Romanian-German mayor of Sibiu, for the post: "[The presidential candidate for the liberal PNL party] Crin Antonescu campaigned with the independent Klaus Johannis. Mircea Geoană also supported Johannis because he needed a few independents. … This gives dangerous substance to the fantasies of the masses that only independents can save us from the parties, provide a secure government and lead the country efficiently. A fantasy that for some probably has its roots in a nostalgia for systematic socialism and for others arises from the desire for a non-personal government that functions as smoothly as a Swiss watch. … Independence is the wrong medicine for the disease of bad politics, the causes of which we know, but do not want to correct." (16/10/2009)

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Gândul - Romania

The daily Gândul is unhappy with Romanian President Traian Băsescu's decision to appoint financial expert Lucian Croitoru as head of government, rather than the German-Romanian mayor of Sibiu, Klaus Johannis: "The most important qualification for the office of prime minister is having experience in leading communities. Before he was 52 Croitoru never led a thing. He was an international financial expert and advisor at [the Romanian national bank] BNR. Another primary qualification for the job of prime minister is having the ability to take decisions and the experience in doing so. Advisors and experts like Croitoru don't take any decisions. They only give advice, professional opinions. Opposition candidate Johannis fulfils both requirements. He governed a city for ten years and made good decisions not just by chance. Băsescu didn't invite him for discussions to his residence at Cotroceni Palace, although he says he holds Johannis in high esteem." (16/10/2009)

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Il Sole 24 Ore - Italy

The business paper Il Sole 24 Ore sees Romanian president Traian Băsescu's decision to entrust the independent financial expert Lucian Croitoru with the formation of a government above all as a bid to calm the nerves of international lenders: "[Croitoru] took part in the negotiations that secured a 20-billion-euro loan for Romania, with the provision that the country pass a stringent reform programme. … The opposition has closed ranks against him. … The economic situation has become very tricky. Owing to the political instability, the outgoing government has blocked the auction of eurobonds worth 1.5 billion that would have filled the currency reserves which are so important for keeping the leu-euro exchange rate stable. The International Monetary Fund is following the developments closely … and hopes, without being able to say it openly, that soon one of 'its' men will be leading the economy." (16/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Romania
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