Foreign intelligence head Ungureanu nominated to lead new Government in Romania

The Romanian head of foreign intelligence Mihai Razvan Ungureanu has been nominated to occupy the Prime Minister seat, Romanian president Traian Basescu has announced. The proposal came on Monday evening, after Emil Boc resigned earlier during the day. Ungureanu will start negotiating with the Governing coalition in Romania to create the new cabinet, and the Parliament will need to give its OK on the new Government. The new Prime Minister announcement was Basescu's second speech after the start of street protests in the country earlier in January, which have however faded over the last couple of days, when Romania has been placed under a Code Orange for severe weather, snow and blizzards. “Any instability generates difficulties in financing the state. One relates to due installments and the other, to the country's budget deficit. This is why I found it impossible to accept putting the country in an instability situation,” said Basescu. “Imagine Romania with an interim Government for five months, how long it would take to organize early elections. I think Romania would have huge problems. The option is to have a new Government in place, but the Parliament will decide,” he went on. Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, a 44-year old diplomat, was Romania's Foreign Affairs Minister between 2004 and 2007 and has been head of the country's foreign intelligence agency since 2007. He has been a member of the opposition party National Liberal Party (PNL) since 2004, but suspended himself from he party as the position was incompatible with his position at the foreign intelligence agency. However, Ungureanu has not had any connection to the party for years, said PNL leader Crin Antonescu. PNL said it would vote against the new Government. editor@romania-insider.com