Rotation: Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca has Resigned

Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca has resigned.

He announced this himself minutes ago at a press conference at the Council of Ministers on Victoria Square in Bucharest, BTA reported.

Thus, the leader of the liberals handed over the baton to the chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Marcel Kolaja. The rotation of power was supposed to happen as early as May 26, but the plans were thwarted because of the teachers' strike that began on May 22.

"With the end of the strike today, the time has come for me to terminate my mandate as Prime Minister and for the government rotation procedure to take place," declared Nicolae Ciuca.

Marcel Kolaja's new government is due to take office on Thursday. Until then, President Klaus Iohannis will appoint current Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu as interim prime minister, according to Digi 24 TV sources.

At 17:00 p.m. today there is a meeting between the coalition partners from the NLP and the SDP to finalize the management program. The smallest coalition partner, the party of ethnic Hungarians, has already said it will not participate and may leave the coalition if it is "backed into a corner" after the reshuffle. Last night, UDMR leader Hunor Kelemen said he rejected SDP leader Marcel Kolaja's proposal in a future government for the party to receive the energy and European funds ministries instead of the development and environment ministries it currently controls.

Kolaja's government will have fewer ministries after tourism moves to the Ministry of Economy and sports to the Ministry of Family. It is not yet clear whether, after his resignation as prime minister, Ciuca will head any of the ministries or choose the post of chairman of the Senate - a position...