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M. Continuo

Romania PM nominates economic adviser as finance minister


    BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Monday picked one of his economic advisers as the country's new finance minister, as he announced his ministers in his newly formed government following the departure of his main coalition ally last week.

    Ioana Petrescu is an assistant professor on temporary leave from the University of Maryland. She has a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and has been an adviser to Ponta for the past six months.

    "Romania needs a stable government, given that there will be two rounds of elections this year," Ponta told reporters. The government faces a confidence vote on Tuesday.

    The finance minister is less powerful in Romania than in other countries, as the job's responsibilities were diluted in 2012 with the creation of a separate budget ministry.

    Ponta also said he would keep Liviu Voinea, 38, as the budget minister.

    (Reporting by Radu Marinas; editing by Matthias Williams)