Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, interim at the Ministry of Defense

Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca informed the head of state that he will take over the Defense portfolio on an interim basis, after the resignation of Vasile Dincu.

The governing forum of the PSD met at 18:00 to determine who it proposes for the Ministry of Defense.

Vasile Dincu cited in the text of the resignation submitted today the impossibility of collaborating with President Klaus Iohannis, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Army.

Vasile Dincu: It is a very clearly expressed reason and I don't want to give any details. I have been hearing from sources for 6 months that I have to resign. I did not have any concrete reproach from the president. No one asked me to resign, Mr. President did not ask me for anything.

Editor: The defense minister's resignation comes amid harsh criticism after he repeatedly argued that Ukraine should negotiate with the Kremlin to end the war. In this context, PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu wanted to explain that Vasile Dincu did not mean by these statements that Ukraine should cede territories to Russia.

Marcel Ciolacu: I thought that the time had passed and the explanations for that statement had been brought. However, if we use logic, any conflict at a given moment closes with a negotiation or an agreement, regardless of who wins and who loses. Moreover, I specified very clearly: Mr. Vasile Dincu never referred to a territory that Ukraine would eventually cede to Russia.

Producer: Asked by journalists if there is a possibility that the PSD will cede the Ministry of Defense to the liberals, Marcel Ciolacu replied that anything is possible in politics, and that coalitions are based on negotiations.

Translated by: Radu Matei