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Prime Minister-designate and leader of the Save Romania Union Dacian Ciolos said today that, aside from a coalition government, he doesn't rule out the variant of a minority government backed by the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), affirming his determination to carry his mandate through.
"The PNL and UDMR leaders will decide tomorrow whether they support one of the options I tabled to them: either start negotiations for a coalition government, or - if they don't agree with this - a minority government with their backing, if we come before Parliament with a minority government and program. We'll discuss this today in the National Bureau meeting. We are looking at all the options that are on the table now," Ciolos told a press conference after the meeting with the PNL, UDMR and parliamentary minorities' leaders.
Asked if he would withdraw if PNL and UDMR agreed to restore the coalition with a Liberal Prime Minister, Ciolos explained that he is determined to carry his mandate through: "I have a mandate and I must carry it through. The PNL was free to make a nomination for Prime Minister, had it wanted to, and obviously it can still make it now. This is for them to decide, but for the time being, the response must be about the Prime Minister designation President Klaus Iohannis has already made."
In his opinion, "it is important now for Romania to have a government capable of promptly putting into practice clear, concrete measures."
"We have a proposal on the table, if they want to make another one, this would be their move, I don't comment on assumptions about their deliberations. These are in-party discussions. (...) This option was not on the table. The talks were around the proposal for Prime Minister President Klaus Iohannis has already made and which is on offer. This was the objective of the discussion and it is my understanding that this will also be the subject of the discussion within the PNL and UDMR leaderships. (...) We will discuss such proposals when they are put forth. For the time being, we pledged a commitment and we will carry on with this responsibility.
