Justice Minister’s Dismissal Puts Romanian Coalition at Risk

The dismissal of the Justice Minister, Stelian Ion, on Wednesday by Prime Minister Florin Citu may trigger the break-up of the governing coalition in Romania and a major political crisis in the country.

Prime Minister Florin Citu announced the dismissal of Ion from the Justice Ministry, saying that he will not accept ministers in the government opposed to Romania's development.

"I took a necessary decision. A few minutes ago, I sent the President of Romania the request to dismiss the Justice Minister, Mr Stelian Ion," Florin Citu said, shortly after a postponed government meeting.

The clash between Citu and Ion was triggered by the refusal of Ion, who belongs to the USR-PLUS party, to put his signature to a 50-billion-lei [about 10 billion euros ] community development plan aimed at modernizing the infrastructure of the country.

"I will not accept ministers in the government who oppose the modernization of Romania. Stelian Ion … failed to impose himself in the coalition, failed to complete his projects," stated Citu.

USR-PLUS sent Citu a list of ten amendments to the 50-billion-lei investment program on Wednesday evening. Dan Barna, co-president of USR-PLUS, stated that his party would decide on staying or leaving the government depending on Citu's response to the amendments.

But several of the amendments are considered non-negotiable by the main ruling National Liberal Party, PNL, and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, UDMR.

USR-PLUS fears the investment program is a potential gift to fraudsters and to the local mayors of the National Liberal Party.

The new confrontation threatens the coalition formed by Citu's Liberals, Ion's USR-PLUS, and the ethnic Hungarian party, which controls 56 per cent...