Romanian Government survives first no-confidence motion of the week

The Romanian opposition’s no-confidence motion over the wage law for 2011, which was debated in Parliament Monday, was rejected as the motion got only 190 votes in favor and one vote against and needed 236 votes to pass. Opposition Social Democratic Party president Victor Ponta said earlier Monday the party will challenge the wage law for 2011 at the Constitutional Court if the motion fails to overthrow the Government. Ruling party lawmakers attend debates in Parliament but didn't vote. The number of opposition lawmakers is below that needed for a no-confidence motion to be adopted, namely 236. A second no-confidence motion targeting the unitary wage law, for which Prime Minister Emil Boc also sought lawmakers' confidence vote last week, was read out in Parliament Monday morning and will be debated this Thursday. Mediafax