Romania Names New Interior Minister

Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Tuesday proposed Dragos Tudorache, the head of his chancellery, as the country's new interior minister with a brief to prepare for parliamentary elections which are scheduled to be held by the end of the year.

Tudorache is replacing Petre Toba, who resigned on September 1 after prosecutors from the National Anti-Corruption Directorate opened a criminal case against him over corruption allegations.

Prosecutors charged Toba with refusing to help a corruption investigation targeting several of the interior ministry's employees.

Ciolos said on Tuesday that he had intentionally chosen not to appoint a former police officer like Toba to take up the position this time around.

"I've decided to appoint a civilian for as much fairness and balance [as possible], given the sensitivity in the coming period. This is an important ministry that has important tasks in the coming period, including guaranteeing free elections and ensuring public order," Ciolos said.

Tudorache, 41, a judge by profession, has worked as an international expert for the OSCE and the European Commission, among others.

In November, he was appointed head of the prime minister's chancellery and also run the communications ministry for a short period this summer on an interim basis.

Romania is to hold parliamentary elections on December 11.  

One of the main tasks of Ciolos's administration is to organise a free and fair vote and to make it easier for Romanians living abroad to vote.

Last month, Ciolos said the government would permit voters to cast ballots electronically or by mail, and there will be more, smaller voting stations abroad.

During the 2014 presidential elections, many people had to wait for hours to vote...