Romania’s PM considers replacing current justice minister with a technocrat

Romania’s Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu reiterated on Tuesday that he would have a talk with justice minister Florin Iordache on Wednesday, after the Parliament’s vote on the no-confidence motion against the Government, adding that he already had an opinion formed and knew what to do. Moreover, when asked if he thinks that it would be better for the Justice Ministry to be led by an independent person from the justice system, Grindeanu said: “that can be one approach,” reports local News.ro. Prime Minister Grindeanu previously said that he would have a talk with justice minister Florin Iordache after the vote on the no-confidence motion filed by the opposition, adding that he may ask him to resign. Iordache is the one who supported and announced the adoption of the controversial emergency ordinance that would have changed the Penal Code. The ordinance partly decriminalized some corruption offences. The initiative triggered massive protests in Romania and made the Government take a step back and repeal the ordinance. However, the people continued protesting, asking for the Government’s resignation. Prime Minister Grindeanu said on Sunday that he would not resign and his party leader, Liviu Dragnea, continues to support him. However, President Klaus Iohannis thinks that a minister's delayed resignation is not enough to ease the tensions and asked PSD to come up with a better solution. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com