President Iohannis concludes consultations with parliamentary parties at Cotroceni Palace

President Klaus Iohannis held consultations on Wednesday with the parliamentary parties and formations after Ludovic Orban resigned as Prime Minister-designate. National Liberal Party (PNL) Chairman and interim PM Ludovic Orban reiterated on Wednesday that the Liberals will endorse President Klaus Iohannis's decision regarding the appointment of a new Prime Minister, adding that they will try to gather a majority. "We have presented Romania's President, Mr. Klaus Iohannis, the Executive Bureau's decision. We await President's decision and, as we have decided today, the PNL will endorse the President's decision. We have confidence in Romania's President, between Romania's President and the PNL there is a partnership for Romania and we have the belief that Romania's President will make the right decision, which we will support. (...) We have confidence that the President will make the best decision for Romania," Orban said, after the consultations with the head of state at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. In his turn, the interim Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Marcel Ciolacu stated on Wednesday, after the consultations with President Klaus Iohannis, that the Social-Democrats don't intend to vote a PNL minority government and argued that the President wants to prolong the current political crisis. "We took note of the President's and the PNL's desire to prolong this crisis. Last time, we came up with a concrete solution to stop the political crisis. Today, we voiced our availability to vote for a government of specialists or a national union government. (...) We won't vote for any minority government of the PNL," Ciolacu mentioned within a press statement held at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. Save Romania Union (USR) Chairman Dan Barna said that the party he leads said it wants to be part of the next government "to the extent to which a majority will be formed" and mentioned the USR-PLUS Alliance proposed Dacian Ciolos for the PM office. He underscored that the participation in the government implies for the PM-designate to include the ordinance for the election of mayors in tow-rounds in the governing programme. "If Dacian Ciolos is nominated, the governing programme which the alliance proposes in Parliament shall definitely include the ordinance for the election of mayors in tow-rounds, as the main objective of that Government," the USR Chairman argued, after the consultations with President Klaus Iohannis. Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Chairman Kelemen Hunor said on Wednesday, at the end of consultations with President Klaus Iohannis, that the Union endorses a coalition government and doesn't want early elections. "The best solution would be a political government, a government that is more than a PNL government, a minority government. (...) We don't endorse the idea of a technocrat government and we don't believe that a unicoloured minority government would last too long," the UDMR head showed within a press statement at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. Chairman of the People's Movement Party (PMP) Eugen Tomac announced on Wednesday that his formation proposes Cristian Diaconescu for the Prime Minister office. "Because we are in a political crisis, we believe that we have the obligation to act responsibly in order to overcome this moment as quickly as possible. This is why the PMP came with a PM proposal, namely Mr. Cristian Diaconescu. We believe that we have the right to ask for this office in this moment of crisis," Tomac said, after the consultations with President Klaus Iohannis. Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) Chairman Calin Popescu Tariceanu announced on Wednesday, at the end of the consultations with President Klaus Iohannis, that his political formation endorses the nomination of an independent Prime Minister. "We have reconsidered the proposal we put forth last time, regarding the solution to unblock the current political crisis. (...) The best solution in such a situation is an independent prime minister, who can lead a government in charge of organising elections to term. Thus, not early elections, because it's obvious that no majority will be formed around the idea of early elections," Tariceanu said within a press statement at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. Pro Romania Chairman Victor Ponta said on Wednesday that his party endorses a stable government, mentioning that he could gather a majority, but doesn't expect any surprises from President Klaus Iohannis. "Pro Romania's option is for a stable government, of professionals. (...) This is the solution we are willing to support. (...) I am not the type to back down, but I don't expect any surprise," Ponta said after the consultations with president Klaus Iohannis. AGERPRES (EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Cristina Zaharia)