Ex-army general nominated as PM

BUCHAREST: Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis nominated retired four-star army general Nicolae Ciuca as prime minister designate yesterday, tasking him with forming a centrist government to end a month-long policy stalemate.

“The political crisis must end. Now. Now, we all need to end this crisis, which has gone on for so long, given the pandemic crisis, the dramatic situation of hospitals,” Iohannis said.

Ciuca, 54, a Liberal currently serving as Romania’s caretaker defence minister, served in US-led military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has 10 days to draft a Cabinet line-up and seek a parliamentary vote of confidence.