BUCHAREST: Romania’s opposition filed a no-confidence motion over the government’s IMF-backed wage reform on Wednesday, a move with only slim chances of success, just two months after a similar bid failed. The government of Prime Minister Emil Boc survived two no-confidence votes by the leftist opposition this year and its wider margin on the second occasion in October suggests it can remain in power and pass outstanding International Monetary Fund-mandated reforms.
Recession-hit Romania, the European Union’s second poorest member, has so far received 16 billion euros in tranches from its 20 billion euro bailout and needs a new agreement to help maintain investor trust once the current deal expires in March.
Boc’s coalition government, which commands a slim majority in parliament, is racing to clear wage legislation and an austerity budget for 2011 by the end of this year to receive fresh loans and start talks on a new IMF-led aid deal. “We’ve done it. The motion, signed by 209 deputies, was submitted to parliament,” Social Democrat deputy Mircea Dusa told Reuters. On Tuesday, the government officially “took responsibility” for wage legislation in line with IMF requirements, which means the laws are passed without a vote in parliament — but they are subject to parliamentary confidence votes.
Dusa also said the leftist opposition would file another no-confidence motion over Boc’s plan to make state wages more transparent on Thursday. Lawmakers from Boc’s Democrat-Liberal party expect parliament to discuss and cast a vote on the first motion on Monday and a second one due later next week — with analysts widely expecting the government to survive both.
