President Klaus Ionannis on Tuesday sought to reassure Romania’s foreign partners over a political crisis that has engulfed the country in the past week.
Prime Minister Florin Citu was left without a majority in parliament after ministers from a junior partner quit the ruling coalition earlier in the day.
The three-party coalition fractured after the junior USR-Plus disagreed with the prime minister’s Liberals over a 50-billion lei (about 10 billion-euro) spending plan for local mayors.
The premier fired the party’s justice minister last week. The USR then teamed up with a far-right party to oust the government. However, to be successful, it needs support from the Social Democrats, the main opposition party.
It is unclear whether a confidence vote will go ahead as the Social Democrats have so far blocked a tabling of the motion.
”We are a stable country,” the president told an annual meeting of Romanian ambassadors on Tuesday, News.ro reported.
“I’d like to talk about the domestic political situation,” he said ending his speech on diplomacy.
”Democratic values and the country’s constitution are respected…in Romania. Even if we have a governmental crisis we will not veer from (our) European and Euroatlantic path,” he added.
“We will find the best solution for the current crisis. Romania will be governed for all its citizens,” he said, appealing to ambassadors to spread the message.
The prime minister appointed an ally as justice minister. The 10 billion-euro program funding program for infrastructure in local communities was approved by the government on Sept. 3.
On Tuesday, the USR-Plus’ remaining six ministers resigned.
Romania PM Citu left without majority after junior party quits coalition
