People are waiting for solutions, stability, and a government that firmly maintains Romania’s pro-European direction, said President Klaus Iohannis after the swearing-in of the new Government.
He emphasized that the immediate challenges are building the budget for 2025 and organizing the presidential elections.
"I wish you a lot of energy. Congratulations to the new Government. You are entering a challenging period in your new responsibilities. I wish you success in everything you set out to do, but, first and foremost, I wish you to succeed for Romania and Romanians. People are waiting for solutions, stability, and a Government that firmly maintains Romania's trajectory," said the President in his speech.
He pointed out that "we are in a situation that has not existed before, with canceled elections, and we must understand that for many Romanians, there are major concerns."
"Everyone I have spoken to and heard about desires stability and desires at all costs to preserve Romania's Euro-Atlantic course. In this sense, I ask you to act accordingly. There are many challenges, you are well aware of the problems that need to be solved, but I believe that two of them deserve to be mentioned as immediate challenges, building the budget for 2025, a complicated task, and setting the calendar for the election of the President of Romania. I wish you much success, a lot of energy, a lot of patience, and many achievements for Romania and for Romanians. Happy New Year!" added the head of state.
The Prime Minister and the ministers individually took the oath in front of the President of Romania.
The government led by Marcel Ciolacu, which includes ministers from PSD, PNL, and UDMR, received the vote of confidence in Parliament on Monday evening. There were 240 votes "for" and 143 "against."
The composition of the new Ciolacu Government is:
- Minister of Internal Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister - Cătălin Predoiu (PNL) - remains in office
- Minister of Finance, Deputy Prime Minister - Tanczos Barna (UDMR) - new
- Deputy Prime Minister without portfolio - Marian Neacşu (PSD)
- Minister of Development, Public Works, and Administration - Cseke Attila (UDMR) - new
- Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism - Bogdan Ivan (PSD) - remains in office, even taking over the Economy
- Minister of Transport and Infrastructure - Sorin Grindeanu (PSD) - remains in office
- Minister of Justice - Radu Marinescu (PSD) - the only new one from PSD
- Minister of National Defense - Angel Tîlvăr (PSD)
- Minister of Education and Research - Daniel David (PNL) - new
- Minister of Culture - Natalia Intotero (PSD) - moved from the Ministry of Family, which disappears
- Minister of Foreign Affairs - Emil Hurezeanu (PNL) - new
- Minister of Investments and European Projects - Marcel Boloş (PNL) - moved from Finance
- Minister of Health - Alexandru Rafila (PSD) - remains in office
- Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - Florin Barbu (PSD) - remains in office
- Minister of Energy - Sebastian Burduja (PNL) - remains in office
- Minister of Environment - Mircea Fechet (PNL) - remains in office
- Minister of Labor - Simona Bucura Oprescu (PSD) - remains in office