Boc did well at the votes with "traitors" from PSD and PNL. Elsewhere in the news, Romania needs to send the European Commission data on a series of plants, showing it has respected the Accession Treaty. Last but not least, President Basescu told ministers swearing in he would not spare the current Cabinet of criticism just because his party owns the majority of the portfolios

Boc did well at the votes with "traitors" from PSD and PNL, Evenimentul Zilei reads. 36 social-democratic and liberal MPs disregarded their parties' decision of not supporting Boc IV Cabinet and voted in favour of investing the new Cabinet, formed by PDL, UDMR and independents. The government passed in the Parliament yesterday with 276 votes in favour and 135 against. The LibDems, UDMR, independents and minorities own 240 senatorial and deputy seats.

The necessary number of votes is 236. According to the newspaper, PDL "bought" its peace in several stages. First, they attracted the 24 independents under Gabriel Oprea's rule. Gabriel Oprea was given a ministerial role and the rest, money from the state budget for the colleges where that had been elected. Similar promises have been made for minorities and some PSD and PNL MPs. During PSD's early morning meeting, the party gave up boycotting the voting. PSD and PNL members guarded the ballots boxes and were marking their members who decided not to show their votes.

Romania needs to send a series of data about Mechel Târgoviste, Mechel Campia Turzii, ArcelorMittal Hunedoara and ArcelorMittal Galati plants to the European commission by January 20, 2010, Gandul reads, quoting Romanian press agency Mediafax. An Economy Ministry report indicates that Romania has respected the Accession Treaty engagements, namely not providing state aids after 2004 and closing all physically and morally drained production capacities in the ferrous metallurgy sector.

Romanian ferrous metallurgy sector final monitoring reports addressing the 2008 activity and analysing long term viability in the case of ferrous metallurgy companies were discussed in Brussels on December 15, during a European Commission representatives' meeting, where Romanian Economy Ministry, Authority for State Assets Recovery, European Affairs Department, Competition Council and Romania's Permanent Representatives to the EU in Brussels reps took part.

Cotidianul reads President Traian Basescu told ministers swearing in on Wednesday that he would not spare the current Cabinet of criticism just because his party, PDL, owns the majority of the portfolios. He claimed that should any minister fall under the start of a penal investigation, he would opt for sacking the minister.

Basescu told ministers that the Government has all his support, as long as the governance would be fair and justified. He mentioned he had no obligations either to the Government or to the Parliament. "You can miss only if you don't stick to the governing programme", Basescu said, adding that they need to explain the governing programme was designed for three years and that the programme would soon be compared with the budget draft. The president declared he aims to be a mediator between the Government, society and unions.