Mihai Tanasescu, the PSD (Social Democrat Party) vice-president and former Finance Minister in the Adrian Nastase Government, has decided to leave the tumultuous political life of Romania and take up the position of Romania's representative to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He will go to Washington, a city he first visited in 1986, when he attended a public finance-training course held at the IMF headquarters.
The IMF appointment is conducted by the National Bank, and his nomination comes as somewhat of a surprise, considering that every IMF Romanian representative appointed since 1990 has been an NBR employee.
Tanasescu will replace Lucian Croitoru, a former advisor to the NBR Governor, whose term expires at the end of June.
Tanasescu (51) is one of the most credible PSD members and the coordinator of the economic programme for the main opposition party. According to PSD sources, Tanasescu is preparing to announce his resignation from the party at the end of the week, so he could leave for Washington as soon as next week, where the IMF headquarters are located.
"I will leave (for Washington i.e.) next week," Mihai Tanasescu verified for ZF. He added it was NBR Governor Mugur Isarescu who initially approached him with the proposition for this position five or six months ago.
The reason behind this proposition was, Tanasescu said, to change Romania's image at the IMF. He also knows this institution well and is a familiar face there.
As far as his resignation from the PSD is concerned, he did not provide any details, only saying that he would research to see if the new position and his party membership were incompatible in any way. He would not provide any further details.
Tanasescu is currently PSD's vice-president, a deputy for the party and the chairman of the Budget-Finance Committee with the Chamber of Deputi
