Romania’s Basescu appoints Borbely as acting communications minister

BUCHAREST, Romania — President Traian Basescu issued a decree Tuesday (June 19th) appointing Public Works Minister Laszlo Borbely as acting minister of IT and communications. Zsolt Nagy was suspended from the post earlier this month after prosecutors began investigating him. He is suspected of supporting an organised crime ring and of economic espionage, involving the privatisation of some energy companies. Nagy, a member of the ethnic Hungarian UDMR party, denies any involvement. His suspension by Basescu has strained relations with Hungary.

In other news, as expected, the opposition began submitting on Tuesday a series of no confidence motions against the Romanian government, citing failures in agriculture and healthcare. The Chamber of Deputies will discuss the motions next Monday.

Also Tuesday, the ruling National Liberal Party sealed a deal with two others, the National Christian-Democratic Peasants’ Party and the People’s Action, to establish a new alliance called the Right-Centre Pole. One of its goals is stronger representation in the European Parliament.