State Secretary Nicolae Ivaschescu Appointed Interim Labor Minister

04.20.2011 By Ioana Tudor

Romanian Labor Ministry state secretary Nicolae Ivaschescu was appointed interim minister after Labor Minister Ioan Botis resigned, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.

Romanian Labor Ministry state secretary Nicolae Ivaschescu was appointed interim minister after Labor Minister Ioan Botis resigned, Prime Minister Emil Boc said Wednesday.

According to Boc, Ivaschescu will run the institution for a few days, until a new minister is appointed.

The prime minister said he will put forward his labor minister proposition soon, after consultations with his ruling Democratic Liberal Party and President Traian Basescu.

Botis resigned Wednesday morning after talks with Boc, amid allegations of a potential conflict of interest raised by the fact that his wife is an adviser on a EU and Government-funded project.

Botis told MEDIAFAX he has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Emil Boc, who confirmed the minister has stepped down.

Botis said Monday his resignation was inevitable, adding he does not want to hurt the party's image.

The minister denied any wrongdoing and said neither he nor his wife are founders or members of the NGO which runs the EU and Government-funded project in question. He also said his wife would quit her position as adviser on the project.

Botis is currently under investigation by the National Integrity Agency (ANI ) and the Romanian Antifraud Department (DLAF).