One day after the surprising resignations of Ministers Hildegard Puwak, Mircea Beuran and Serban Mihailescu, PSD (Social Democrat Party) executive chairman Octav Cozmanca yesterday said two of the three ministers had verbally handed in their resignations two weeks before.
“I am positive two of them offered to resign two weeks ago. I don’t know about the third. Still, all of them wanted to resign before the referendum.” The resignations of the three ministers were not accepted by the Prime Minister back then in order to avoid making things difficult for the constitutional referendum, Octav Cozmanca said. He changed his statements later saying the three had handed in their resignation in writing on Monday morning. As for Hildegard Puwak, the former European Integration minister, who was attending a European meeting in Rome, PSD’s executive chairman said she had her resignation faxed in and was to produce the original document upon return to Bucharest.
Cozmanca’s theory raises some questions, though. If two ministers offered resignation two weeks ago (it is about Puwak and Beuran, as the Busteni scandal involving Mihailescu had not broken out at that time) then why all the firm support of PSD leaders for the two ministers last week?
In spite of this political support, the return of ministers Puwak and Beuran to the Government after the 45-day interim period is not an option for PSD. Octav Cozmanca dropped a hint, when saying their resignation was “irrevocable.” When the interim period is over, PSD will have to find a solution for Ionel Blanculescu – National Control Authority delegate minister and interim Health minister and Vasile Puscas, Negotiator for EU and interim Integration minister. Blanculescu and Puscas fill two positions each, but the Constitution does not allow them to do so for more than 45 days. PSD sources say Vasile Puscas will be maintained as Integration minister so that someone else will be appointed Negotiator for EU. The same sources said Ionel Blanculescu would stay National Control Authority minister and the Health minister position would be given to somebody else. As for the new Minister for Co-ordinating the Government’s General Secretariat, Eugen Bejenariu, he was sworn in Cotroceni before President Iliescu, PM Nastase and Minister Gabriel Oprea yesterday. Former head of RAAPS, a regie subordinated to the Government’s General Secretariat, he announced the secretariat was due for an extensive reorganisation. As for RAAPS, the interim director will be the current technical manager Mihai Stanculescu.
The Government’s Secretariat General has drawn the attention of the public due to the extensive media coverage of two cases involving two governmental advisors, Fanel Pavalache and Virgil Teodorescu, who were accused of taking bribe.
PM Adrian Nastase’s version is somewhat different. He said in a TV show that the three ministers gave up their positions based on a “shared” decision. “Formally speaking, it was about resignation, but we discussed together and decided it was the best thing to do. Together we felt this was the right solution at the right time (…),” Nastase was quoted as saying by Mediafax. mirela.luca@zf.ro