PM Unveils New Cabinet as Romania Remembers 1989 Events

The Romanian Parliament building, originally built as Ceausescu's Presidential Palace. File photo

Newly appointed Prime Minister Emil Boc has submitted his cabinet nominations to the Romanian parliament on Sunday.

Boc had been re-appointed last week to the position of PM by President Traian Basescu, following his own re-election in a December 6 run-off poll against contender Mircea Geoana.

The designated ministers will face parliament on Tuesday, and a vote of confidence is expected the following day, according to Romanian media.

The proposed Boc government comprises 17 members: the Prime Minister, the Deputy PM, and 15 other ministers. Of these, nine are Democratic Liberals, three are from the Hungarian Democrats, and the remainder are technocrats.

These political events are taking place as Romanians remember the events of 20 years ago, when the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was deposed.

On December 21, 1989, popular demonstrations that had begun a few days earlier in the western city of Timisoara, spread to the Romanian capital, Bucharest. President Ceausescu attempted to make a public speech condemning the unrest, but was howled down by the huge crowd that had gathered in the city center.

Subsequent demonstrations became violent, as security forces were deployed to restore order. Overnight, martial law was declared, but the following day saw continued public defiance and manifestations.

The following day, Ceausescu and his wife fled the capital, eventually being arrested in the Romanian town of Targovishte. The pair were summarily tried on December 25, condemned and immediately executed.

Romania was the only country involved in the autumn “events” of 1989 where people were killed, and the ruling figure executed. In all, more than 1 100 Romanians lost their lives in their country’s revolution.

Of these, about 160 died before the flight of Ceausescu on December 22, the remaining 900 and more were killed in the continued violent unrest that followed the establishment of the National Salvation Front, led by Ion Iliescu, that subsequently assumed power.

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