Romanian prime minister tells EU new cabinet will fight corruption

ROMANIA:Romanian prime minister Calin Tariceanu assured the European Union yesterday that his new cabinet would fight corruption and institute tough reforms, even as President Traian Basescu and his supporters denounced him as an illegitimate premier leading an emasculated government.

The day after sacking eight ministers allied to Mr Basescu, Mr Tariceanu unveiled a team comprising only members of his National Liberal Party and a group representing Romania's ethnic Hungarian minority.

Mr Tariceanu said the reshuffle was the only way to accelerate reform and end constant bickering between the Liberals and Mr Basescu's Democratic Party, but the president said the premier had forfeited his mandate by dissolving the alliance that Romanians elected in 2004.

"The government's mid-term assessment is positive but we needed a more efficient structure, with a European make-up, to fulfil the requirements linked to Romania's entry into the EU," on January 1st, Mr Tariceanu said, insisting that his new cabinet would focus on "fighting corruption and reducing gaps" between Romania and its EU partners.

The new minister under most scrutiny will be Tudor Chiuariu (29), the head of the government's anti-fraud department, who has been named justice minister in place of Monica Macovei, who was well-regarded by senior officials in Brussels and credited by many with leading Romania's long overdue fight with high-level corruption.

Bucharest has just filed a report detailing what it has done to combat graft during its first three months in the EU. If Brussels is not satisfied, or senses a weakening of resolve, it can withhold a large tranche of crucial funding from Romania. Many analysts fear the government will now be hampered by its reliance on the opposition Social Democrats (PSD) to secure a majority in parliament, and anti-corruption legislation will be stymied.

The PSD rose from the wreckage of the Communist Party after Romania's 1989 revolution and dominated the country's politics until 2004, winning along the way a reputation for colossal corruption.

"The government will hold, the question is what it will be able to do," said Alina Mungiu-Pippidi of the Romanian Academic Society's think tank. "The presence of a new anti-reform majority [ in parliament] is the problem now." Mr Tariceanu, who blamed Mr Basescu's constant sniping for the collapse of their alliance, insisted the government would fulfil its winning election promises of 2004.

The president and his allies, however, called for new elections.With PSD support, parliament is likely to approve the new cabinet later this week.