Raed Arafat, named Health Minister

President Traian Basescu signed a decree on the appointment of Dr. Raed Arafat as Minister of health, at the proposal of Prime Minister Victor Ponta.

Raed Arafat swore in for the new function, Wednesday, at 19.00, at the Cotroceni Palace.

President Traian Basescu said that his sole request is related to health law, saying that "it was missed in January", but can be managed until December submission to Parliament.

The Minister of Health has remained vacant after the resignation of former holder, Vasile Cepoi, and the interim was assured by Prime Minister Victor Ponta.

In 21 December 2011, President Traian Basescu said, at TVR, that "if there still is a greater enemy of the emergence of a private system ,it is called Raed Arafat", "forgetting that he was the Foundation in Târgu Mureş".

In 8 January 2012, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health Raed Arafat said that the draft law on health debating then destroys the integrated emergency system that solves very serious cases, provides a part of the system of national safety and defense of Romania against disasters, the mission of saving lives was replaced by commercial competition.

On 9 January, President Traian Basescu told Raed Arafat, in a show at which intervened by phone, that the most correct approach is to present the Minister his observations and not to create a "psychosis" public.

In 10 January, Raed Arafat announced that he resigned from the post of Undersecretary of State, because coming out of the Ministry will be able to defend better emergency system, stating that he cannot enter into polemics with anyone on issues requiring technical discussions.

In the wake of this scandal, which resulted in the resignation of Arafat from the Ministry of Health in mid-January have held several rallies, people coming out to the streets in several cities in the country, to express support for Raed Arafat and ask for the resignation of President Basescu.

During the campaign for the referendum, President Traian Basescu said that following the celebration of the winter learned the lesson that "the Romanian people cannot bear any".

Raed Arafat was appointed Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Health during Tăriceanu Government, respectively in August 2007.

Translated by
Denisse-Meda Bucura
MTTLC, Bucharest University