Stolojan nominated Romanian prime minister

BUCHAREST, Romania, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Romanian President Traian Basescu said Wednesday he has nominated economist Theodor Stolojan to once again serve as the country's prime minister.

Stolojan will succeed Calin Popescu Tariceanu,, who has held the post for four years, as Basescu tries to form a new government in the wake of the country's Nov. 30 elections.

A fixture in Romanian politics since 1966, Stolojan, 65, previously served as prime minister in 1991-92 and as a World Bank economic consultant from 1990 to 2000, said the Romanian press agency Agerpres.

In 2007, Stolojan won a seat in the European Parliament and also serves as first deputy chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Stolojan's nomination is expected to be confirmed Dec. 22 by Romania's Parliament, government sources said.

The Liberal Democrats, led by Basescu, narrowly edged the Social Democrats in the elections, each winning about one-third off the vote. The ruling National Liberals garnered 19 percent.

Rancor between the Liberal Democrats and the National Liberals led to the breakup of their coalition last year, resulting in the departure of Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who heads the National Liberals.