The leadership of the National Liberal Party (PNL), a senior member of the governing coalition, decided on Thursday to have party member Teodor Atanasiu, the Defense minister, to call for the withdrawal of Romanian troops from Iraq. Atanasiu will submit the request at the Supreme Defense Council.

Minister Atanasiu said some 890 troops would be withdrawn from Iraq as the number of bloody attacks against them becomes worrisome. And he showed all countries keeping troops in Iraq also have a plan for withdrawal.

Following PNL leadership talks on Thursday morning, party leader Calin Popescu Tariceanu, the head of the Romanian government, said the measure to withdraw the troops from Iraq was necessary taking into account Romania’s financial effort to take part in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which is too high for the country.

Tariceanu also said such a measure should not be considered suprising as the presence of Romanian troops in the war-torn country is unpopular and should be dealt with accordingly. He said Romania should focus more on its domestic priorities.