Romania's ethnic Hungarian party, a junior partner in the centrist coalition government could leave the cabinet unless a plan to reorganise public administration is postponed, Reuters quoted the party's leader as saying on Saturday. Prime Minister Emil Boc and his ruling Democrat Liberal Party want to reorganise Romania's structure into eight regions from the current 41 counties in a move they say will cut bureaucracy and boost absorption of EU funds. The ethnic Hungarians (UDMR), which met on Saturday, have said such a move would weaken their minority by splitting it into tiny factions and even break international treaties concerning minorities. "We must keep the regional reorganisation on an economic path and we must postpone the administrative reform if we want to save the coalition," UDMR party head Kelemen Hunor said. Hunor said the discussion should be postponed until the fall or early 2012. He also said that while his party was not afraid of joining the opposition, "now was not the time to jump ship" and that his party was interested in maintaining political stability. Analysts have said the three-party government eventually would find a compromise that would not break the coalition before 2012 general elections.
