Presidents of Romania

Romania's Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean resigned on Monday amid protests against the government which protestors say had prevented expats from voting for president.

Former Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) chief Teodor Melescanu, whom Prime Minister Victor Ponta has proposed to take up as Foreign Minister said on Monday it depends on President Traian Basescu whether he will take up the post and underscored his professional credentials recommend him in this respect.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced on Monday he has sent President Traian Basescu the proposal that the former head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) Teodor Melescanu should take over as caretaker foreign minister, after Titus Corlatean had tendered resignation.

Corlatean resigned on Monday amid anger over long queues and chaotic scenes when Romanians living abroad tried to cast ballots at the presidential polls on November 2.

His move came after tens of thousands of people protested in cities across the country at the weekend in support of Romanians living abroad who were not able to vote.

Titus Corlatean on Monday announced he was resigning as foreign minister, arguing that he cannot accept to breach the law 'for political and electoral purposes and interests.'

Prime Minister Victor Ponta, presidential endorsee of the PSD (Social Democratic Party) - UNPR (National Union for Romania's Progress) - PC (Conservative Party) alliance in the presidential elections, deemed as legitimate the dissatisfaction of Romanians in the diaspora who didn't get a chance to cast their ballot in the first round of the presidential race, but he claimed that th

President Traian Basescu calls for the immediate dismissal of Foreign Affairs Minister Titus Corlatean, whom he accuses of disinformation and of attempting to prevent Romanians abroad from voting.

Photo credit: (c) ALEX MICSIK / AGERPRES FLOW

Christian Liberal Alliance 's (ACL) candidate in the presidential elections Klaus Iohannis on Saturday refused to say either "yes" or "no" to incumbent President Traian Basescu's proposal to participate in a debate against his counter-candidate in the runoff, PSD-UNPR-PC's Victor Ponta, to be hosted at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.

What President Traian Basescu wants is not a "real"debate, but a "circus" meant to help Klaus Iohannis "escape a direct confrontation with Victor Ponta," said the PSD (Social Democratic Party) spokesperson Gabriela Firea in a release on Saturday sent to AGERPRES.

Senate President Calin Popescu Tariceanu, Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) Chairman, told a press conference in Oradea on Friday that the main danger after the elections was that of seeing Basescu's regime perpetuated or revived in a different shape, through the person of Christian Liberal Alliance (ACL) representative Klaus Iohannis.