Romanian prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said on Monday that in the existing political framework he would not lead a minority government as speculated by the media. He made the statement a day after the Conservative Party-PC, a junior member of the governmental coalition, announced its withdrawal from the government.

The PC departure “does not equal a minority government and that would show when MPs are voting”, Tariceanu, who also heads the Liberal Party-PNL, a senior member of the government, said today.

The PC had announced that despite leaving the government it would further support in Parliament all projects that contribute to the economic development, political stability and European integration of Romania.

Still, the PC withdrawal prompted new clashes between the leadership of PNL and that of President Traian Basescu’s Democratic Party (PD). The PD leaders have adopted a document urging PNL to look for solutions to keep the government alive without appealing to the opposition Social Democrats (PSD).

PNL received the appeal with reluctance. However, it did not mentioned the idea of an official support with the PSD in its reply.

Only seven of the 19 representatives of the PC submitted their resignations from the government by the Monday at noon deadline. Deputy PM Bogdan Pascu and Economy minister Codrut Seres were among those who resigned.