President Iohannis rejects Lia Olguta Vasilescu for Development Ministry for the fourth time

Anca Alexe 07/02/2019 | 11:30

President Klaus Iohannis has again rejected former Labour minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu’s appointment at the Development Ministry. This is the president’s fourth time rejecting PM Dancila’s proposal for Vasilescu.

The president also sent a letter to PM Viorica Dancila, asking her to come up with a new proposal for the Development Ministry as he believes Lia Olguta Vasilescu doesn’t have the necessary skills and training in the fields the job would involve and that she has no experience in promoting and managing the national-level public policy in the complex area of regional development and public administration.

Iohannis writes that, as mayor, Vasilescu did not have to manage national public policy, and that as a member of parliament she was active in commissions that were directly related either to her professional training or areas like culture, art or mass media.

As for Vasilescu’s time as Labour minister, the president says that she lacked transparency in her relationship with the civil society and in the process of social dialogue, as she did not consult with those targeted by her measures.

He also mentions the controversial statements made in the past by Lia Olguta Vasilescu, her personal attacks, the language she uses in public statements and the pressures she has put on the justice system.

In his letter, Iohannis makes no mention of the PM’s other proposal – Mircea Draghici for the Transport Ministry – which he has also rejected several times.