Romania's Prime Minister predicts his government will survive a no-confidence vote
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Romania’s Prime Minister is confident his government will survive a vote of no-confidence called by the centrist opposition for this Friday.
It is the latest twist in a week-long political crisis which has seen Victor Ponta reject a call from the President to resign.
Mr Ponta has denied any wrongdoing after prosecutors named him in an inquiry investigating claims of forgery, money-laundering and tax evasion.
The case is being handled by Romania’s anti-corruption agency, DNA. Spokesperson Livia Saplacan told Euronews they would like three allegations involving conflict of interest to be investigated. The process can only be undertaken with the express approval of the lower house as Victor Ponta is a sitting member of parliament. The offences are alleged to have been committed during Victor Ponta’s tenure as prime minister.
A separate investigation is already underway into an allegation of forgery, dating to the Prime Minister’s time as a lawyer.
Tuesday morning, however, and, as widely expected, Romania’s parliament overwhelmingly rejected the call for Victor Ponta’s immunity to be lifted.
Talks with the European Commission and IMF to review Romania’s aid deal are pencilled in for the next few weeks.