03 September 2010

ROMANIA: PM Boc Shakes Up Cabinet, Firing Finance, Economy Ministers.

REUTERS/By Radu Marinas and Luiza Ilie/
     Facing a confidence vote after raising taxes and drastically cutting public employee pay to qualify for international aid, PM Emil Boc (pictured) replaced his finance and economy ministers plus four others. Boc has been harshly criticized by unions and opposition leaders for  austerity measures, including a 5% increase in the VAT and a huge 25 % cut in public employee wages. His government survived a June no-confidence motion by just eight votes. His party's popularity has shrunk to just... 13% in recent polls.