Victor Ponta unveils new Government: Number two in Romanian Central Bank becomes Finance Minister

Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Victor Ponta (in picture), who was designated on Friday (April 27 ) to create the new Government, nominated Florin Georgescu, the First Deputy Governor of the Romanian Central Bank (BNR) to lead the Finance Ministry. Ponta also announced the list of ministers on Tuesday evening (May 1 ), with the Parliament vote scheduled for next Monday ( May 7 ). The new ministers will come up with the governing plan on Friday this week (May 4 ).

Florin Georgescu, 58, returns at the Finance Ministry after 15 years. He was minister from 1992 to 1996 in the Government led by Nicolae Vacaroiu. He is one of the most influential financiers in PSD and he has been member of the BNR board since 2004. His acceptance of the nomination comes as a surprise for many analysts, but some say that in these seven months until the parliamentary elections, he will act as the shadow prime minister, as Victor Ponta, 39, is the youngest prime minister in Romania's history. Ponta will also be involved in the campaigns for the local elections in June and for the parliamentary elections in November. „I want to thank Mr. Mugur Isarescu, the Governor of Romania's National Bank for accepting to lend Mr. Florin Georgescu, his number two to be my number two as Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister”, Ponta said. Ioan Rus, 57, was nominated to lead the Internal Affairs Ministry. He held this position in the Government led by Adrian Nastase between 2000 and 2004. He is a PSD member and he comes from Cluj. Leonard Orban is the only minister who was kept from the previous Government. He is not currently politically affiliated.

The full list of ministers below: Finance Ministry: Florin Georgescu, PSD Ministry of Economy and Commerce: Daniel Chitoiu, PNL Agriculture Ministry: Daniel Constantin, PC Foreign Affairs Ministry: Andrei Marga, PNL Communications Ministry: Dan Nica, PSD European Affairs Ministry: Leonard Orban Justice Ministry: Titus Corlatean, PSD Administration Ministry: Victor Paul Dobre, PNL Internal Affairs Ministry: Ioan Rus Transports Ministry: Ovidiu Silaghi, PNL Development and Tourism Ministry: Eduard Hellvig, PNL Health Ministry: Vasile Cepoi Ministry of Labour: Mariana Campeanu, PNL Education Ministry: Corina Dumitrescu Culture Ministry: Mircea Diaconu, PNL Environment Ministry: Rovana Plumb, PSD Defence Ministry: Gen. Corneliu Dobritoiu, PNL

Romania’s Government was toppled after a vote of no confidence in the Parliament on Friday (April 27 ), when 235 MPs voted against the government run by Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, that was only two months and a half into office. The country’s opposition, the Social Liberal Union (USL), which includes the PSD, PNL and PC, has become the ruling group, sending the Democratic Liberal Party to opposition.