PNL to support President Iohannis' choice for prime minister

As far as the appointment of a new prime minister is concerned, the National Liberal Party (PNL) will support the decision that will result after talks between President Klaus Iohannis , PNL and other parties, PNL national leader Ludovic Orban said on Wednesday. Also included in the PNL negotiating team will be the party's first deputy chairs Rares Bogdan, Raluca Turcan and Iulian Dumitrescu, as well as Secretary General Robert Sighiartau. "The mandate of the team that will represent the party is very simple: it has a full mandate to hold talks with President Iohannis, and PNL will support the decision that will result from talks between the PNL team and the President of Romania and, obviously, after talks between the President of Romania and other parliamentary political formations," said Orban after a meeting of PNL's Executive Bureau. Asked why PNL does not go with the same choice for prime minister, Orban said: "The mandate of the team is very clear: hold talks with the President, and the decision of the Executive Bureau is normal in such a situation: we have confidence in the President, and PNL will support the proposal to be put forth by the President of Romania." "We have seen so many PM versions. You wait for the President's decision," said Orban in response to whether or not Nicolae Ciuca, the former defence minister, or Bogdan Aurescu, currently acting foreign minister, could be proposed for the office. Orban also said that Romania has a government, and the government team is doing its job professionally. "I want to make a necessary clarification to the way yesterday's decisions have been presented: Romania has a government, even if I am a caretaker prime minister, the government team does its job with professionalism and dedication and solves all the problems that need to be solved at the governmental level," added Orban. AGERPRES (RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)