Romania PM Boc quits after protests

**Doktor** · 06 Feb 12,, 13:25

He heard Mihais is stocking ammo, don't believe the BS about IMF and protests

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(Reuters) - Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc resigned on Monday, giving way to mass protests against IMF-backed austerity measures and joining leaders of other European Union states felled by fury at spending cuts.

President Traian Basescu named Boc's justice minister, Catalin Predoiu, to replace him at the head of a government whose popularity is languishing in opinion polls ahead of a parliamentary election to be held by November at the latest.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), which bailed out Romania in 2009 with a 20 billion euro (16 billion pound) loan on condition of deep cuts in government spending, said it did not expect the deal to be affected by Boc's departure.

The cabinet will remain in place under Predoiu in a caretaker capacity until Basescu, who has often used his notionally figurehead post to play a significant role in politics, decides whether to ask Predoiu - or someone else - to form a new government that can secure a majority in parliament.

While the leftist opposition is calling for an early general election, its lack of a majority in the current legislature means that the president, who comes himself from Boc's centrist Democrat-Liberal Party (PDL), is likely to be able to secure parliamentary backing for his eventual nominee.

Whatever happens, the IMF mission chief in Bucharest, Jeffrey Franks, told Reuters: "I see no reason necessarily for this to have a material effect on the aid agreement. We have every expectation the agreement will continue."

Committed at some stage to adopting the euro single currency under the terms of its accession to the EU in 2007, Romania is the 27-nation bloc's second poorest member and is still struggling with the economic legacy of communist state control.

It was forced to seek IMF aid in 2009 to maintain investor confidence, prevent a run on the currency and keep borrowing costs at sustainable levels, even though its public debt to gross domestic product ratio was the fourth lowest in the EU.

"RELEASING TENSION"

While not suffering the difficulties that use of the euro created for leaders in the likes of neighbouring Greece, Romania's government also struggled to finance itself without IMF support and found itself forced to make swingeing cuts that enraged public opinion and brought weeks of street protests.

"I took this decision to release the tension in the country's political and social situation, but also in order not to lose what Romanians have won," Boc said in a televised speech, his voice calm.

Basescu may prefer to name another PDL ally in the hope they can maintain the current coalition and regain support before the election. The president, a bluff former sea captain known for being outspoken, holds a position that is theoretically ceremonial, but is seen by many as the real seat of power and has made many major government policy announcements himself.

While the leftist opposition has demanded early elections, this would not be necessary if Basescu's nominee can command support in a parliament that was elected in late 2008 and in which the PDL and its allies still have a slender majority.

FREEZING PROTESTERS

After he cut public sector wages by a quarter and raised sales tax, Boc's ratings in opinion polls fell below 20 percent and thousands of Romanians braved freezing temperatures and heavy snow in the last month to protest.

They are angry about low living standards and what they say is widespread corruption, in a country where the average wage is less than 350 euros ($460) a month and some villages and even parts of Bucharest have no running water or electricity.

Many despair of the country's efforts to change since Soviet-backed dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown in 1989.

"I moved to Boston after the revolution and stayed there for 22 years," said Maria, a 53-year-old architect, who was walking through snow flurries to work in central Bucharest on Monday.

" When I came back, I realised that nothing changed while I was gone," she added, declining to give her full name.

The leu currency was largely unmoved by the decision and the cost of insuring Romanian debt was a touch higher.

Boc governed in a coalition with the ethnic Hungarian UDMR and a grouping of independents, which command a slim but functioning parliament majority.

"It's crucial that the new government maintain the reforms passed together with the IMF and the European Commission - if the next government stands by these reforms, Romania will be fine," said Raiffeisen economist Ionut Dumitru.

Victor Ponta, leader of the leftist Social Liberal Union (USL) which has more than 50 percent support in opinion polls, wants an early election but says he is also committed to working with the IMF.

"The USL wants to lead Romania towards better times in a much more professional and honest way than the Boc government did," Ponta told reporters after Boc's resignation.

**Dante** · 06 Feb 12,, 16:34

He's just a bone throne to the dogs and will be replaced by an equally low and useless rag, all the while managing to enter history as the worst PM we had afer '89.
Now, if this guy where to leave Romania, Europe and hopefully planet Earth, I could say we where taking steps in the right direction:

Btw, all that high morale stand and professional atitude from the "oposition" is just that: a stand..they are absolutely the same and are just waiting they're turn to the budget money pipe

Now, if Mihai is willing to share some of that ammo that hes hoarding away...

**1979** · 06 Feb 12,, 17:18

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never liked the freaking hobbit anyway...

**Mihais** · 06 Feb 12,, 17:20

I'm not sharing any ammo.It's a hell of an effort to get to own a gun legally and I intend to keep my freedom. If you want one ilegally,say so.I know of a few military depots

Doktor,you're wrong mate.I wasn't only hoarding ammo,I had my calculations set: angle,wind,distance,bullet drop etc....And the bastard resigns.At least there are many more,but now I have to start the work again.

Agreed 100% with Dante.Another tool with take his place.It will keep going one until another idea about how the state should be run will foment.It happens I like direct democracy.We'll get there,but how long it will take for the people to realise there's nobody that can be trusted once in power,remains to be seen. The very nature of the state is rotten,so it doesn't matter much who will govern.Put the most honest persons in power,they still have the system below that will ruin their efforts.

Ohh,a correction to the article.There's no such thing as a leftist USL.In theory,this is an alliance between the social-democrats and the liberals.Liberals meaning the very opposite of the US liberals:free market,personal freedoms etc....That's the theory.In practice such ideological traits are non-existant.If you ask your average politician to write a one page essay about the characteristics of his doctrine,90% will have no idea.If you ask the average voter to name 3 traits of each doctrine,same answer.So,the nations finest are just a bunch of opportunistic,kleptocratic,anti-national posers.F..k them all. That can be also done,without increasing homosexuality.There are technical means for that

**Doktor** · 06 Feb 12,, 17:51

Originally Posted by Mihais

I'm not sharing any ammo.It's a hell of an effort to get to own a gun legally and I intend to keep my freedom. If you want one ilegally,say so.I know of a few military depots

Sharing is caring, one day he will return the favor

Doktor,you're wrong mate.I wasn't only hoarding ammo,I had my calculations set: angle,wind,distance,bullet drop etc....And the bastard resigns.At least there are many more,but now I have to start the work again.

Damn it man, YOU told me to be quiet and now this

OTOH you believed Boc can't make a right decision even if his life depends on it. Well he did.

As for the those who will succeed... accept my advise and give Dante some of the ammo, you will need help in the years to come.

Agreed 100% with Dante.Another tool with take his place.It will keep going one until another idea about how the state should be run will foment.It happens I like direct democracy.We'll get there,but how long it will take for the people to realise there's nobody that can be trusted once in power,remains to be seen. The very nature of the state is rotten,so it doesn't matter much who will govern.Put the most honest persons in power,they still have the system below that will ruin their efforts.

Ohh,a correction to the article.There's no such thing as a leftist USL.In theory,this is an alliance between the social-democrats and the liberals.Liberals meaning the very opposite of the US liberals:free market,personal freedoms etc....That's the theory.In practice such ideological traits are non-existant.If you ask your average politician to write a one page essay about the characteristics of his doctrine,90% will have no idea.If you ask the average voter to name 3 traits of each doctrine,same answer.So,the nations finest are just a bunch of opportunistic,kleptocratic,anti-national posers.F..k them all. That can be also done,without increasing homosexuality.There are technical means for that

Hey don't think you are so exclusive, we are all screwed on that regard.

**Mihais** · 06 Feb 12,, 18:00

Ok,if you say so,I might start of the fellow man.

But,since you come from the deepness of the Balkans,where lawlesness is at home,rebels run amok and Mikhail Kalashnikov has his vacation resort, may as well load a few trucks.Bulgarian traffic policemen are cheaper than the worst whores,so no problem with the law.
Agreed we're all toast.A new 1848 may come in our lifetimes.Hopefully it won't wait until its bicentennial.

And stay cool,your big brother thinks the same.Slava Desantnyi

**snapper** · 07 Feb 12,, 04:35

Of course if you're realy lucky you might get a 'technocrat' who can tax you all to death!

**Doktor** · 07 Feb 12,, 04:37

Originally Posted by snapper

Of course if you're realy lucky you might get a 'technocrat' who can tax you all to death!

Why you think Mihais doesn't give his ammo?

They will have one till November (at least).

**1979** · 07 Feb 12,, 09:00

Romania spy chief nominated to replace PM Emil Boc

Emil Boc said his government had not taken part in a popularity contest
Continue reading the main story
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Romania's president has nominated the country's intelligence service chief as prime minister hours after Emil Bloc resigned amid austerity protests.

"The ruling coalition agreed to appoint Mihai Razvan Ungureanu as prime minister designate," President Traian Basescu said in a statement.

The nomination now requires approval by Romania's parliament.

Mr Boc said he was stepping down to "defuse political and social tension" in the face of three weeks of protests.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, he said he had given up the government's mandate as "it is the moment for important political decisions".

Although Romania's economy grew last year, the government has been hit by widespread demonstrations.

Mr Boc has imposed a 25% cut in public sector wages and a freeze on pensions.

Sales tax was also increased to 24%, in a country seen as Europe's second poorest.

Romania said it needed to implement the measures to qualify for the next instalment of a 20bn-euro ($25bn; £17bn) bailout loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

'Technocrat government'
In a statement, Mr Boc, 45, said that in a time of crisis, his centrist government had not taken part in a popularity contest but had acted to save the country.

Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote

Reforms will continue. The added value that I will bring resides in my experience as a manager”

Mihai Razvan Ungureanu
PM-designate
Romania resignation: Your comments
"I know that I made difficult decisions, but the fruits have begun to appear," he said.

Elections in Romania are scheduled to take place in November, but the BBC's Central Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe says they are likely to be brought forward to the summer.

President Basescu took the procedural step of appointing Boc's Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu as caretaker prime minister, before announcing the nomination of Mihai Razvan Ungureanu.

Mr Ungureanu has a master's degree from Oxford University and was foreign minister between 2004 and 2007 during Mr Basescu's first term of office.

"Reforms will continue. The added value that I will bring resides in my experience as a manager," Mr Ungureanu, 43, was quoted by news agency AFP as saying after his nomination.

Protests broke out last month, initially against the resignation of popular junior health minister Raed Arafat, but soon became an expression of discontent against austerity and corruption.

The left-wing opposition USL alliance, headed by Victor Ponta, is currently leading the opinion polls. Mr Ponta suggested last week that Romania should either have early elections similar to Spain, or temporarily install a technocrat administration, like Italy.

Mr Ponta has said he favours continuing the current, $26bn standby credit agreement with the IMF, but would like to gradually adjust it.

BBC News - Romania spy chief nominated to replace PM Emil Boc

spy lol...

**Doktor** · 07 Feb 12,, 09:05

Haven't you guys finished lustration?

**1979** · 07 Feb 12,, 09:13

Actually no

but this guy is a rag as Dante put it, not a spy.

**Mihais** · 07 Feb 12,, 09:15

We haven't even started it. We actually have 2 lustrations now to undertake.One for those before 1989 and another for the new class of aparatchiks after '89.

For the spy stuff,like 1979 said.

There's a saying:I know I'm stupid,but when I look around I'm relieved.Media

Way,way out of touch

**snapper** · 07 Feb 12,, 09:51

Pal of Putins? "From 1985 to 1989, Ungureanu was an alternate member of the Union of Communist Youth Central Committee." (Wiki) I can't see much good coming from this. Also I hate how Parties/Parliaments think they have the right to change the Prime Minister without asking the people/voters. If you're going to change the head of the Government it's pretty obvious that some policies will change or be given 'greater emphasis' etc. Who has voted for such a change? A load of puffed up politico's most of whom have their noses in the trough. Gordon Brown took over from Blair in the UK and could have won an election if he'd had one just after taking over. Instead he blundered on with no mandate and near bankrupted the country. What is the arrogance of politicians that makes them think they can take better decisions than those who they claim to represent?

**Doktor** · 07 Feb 12,, 10:08

And you thought you defined the worse case scenario:

Originally Posted by snapper

Of course if you're realy lucky you might get a 'technocrat' who can tax you all to death!

Originally Posted by snapper

...Also I hate how Parties/Parliaments think they have the right to change the Prime Minister without asking the people/voters. If you're going to change the head of the Government it's pretty obvious that some policies will change or be given 'greater emphasis' etc. Who has voted for such a change? A load of puffed up politico's most of whom have their noses in the trough. Gordon Brown took over from Blair in the UK and could have won an election if he'd had one just after taking over. Instead he blundered on with no mandate and near bankrupted the country. What is the arrogance of politicians that makes them think they can take better decisions than those who they claim to represent?

I think we had this discussion about parliaments. In theory, people in this neck of the woods vote for the MPs who then elect the PM, not the other way around.