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16. 05. 12. - 15:00

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16. 05. 12. - 15:00

Education Minister stepps down amid plagiarism accusations

Michael Leidig

Ioan Mang, the education minister appointed only two weeks ago together with the new cabinet of Social Liberal Union (USL) leader Victor Ponta, resigned Tuesday (yesterday) night.

Mang was replaced by Liviu Pop, minister in charge with the relations with the social partners, who will assume the interim until a new minister will be appointed.

Mang has been in the spotlight of the media and the public, after the Democrat Liberal Party (PDL) that lost the government following a vote of no-confidence, on 27 April accused him of plagiarizing the work of an Israeli scientist.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta stood by his minister all this time, saying he trusts Mang, a reputed university teacher. However, he gave in to public pressures and accepted Mang's resignation.

"I accepted Mr Mang's resignation because the government does not want his personal situation to harm the Baccalaureate session, due to start in three weeks. I also consider that Mr Mang could better focus on defending his honour outside the cabinet".

The PM asked the National Ethics Commission to draw a report over the plagiarism accusations, with the final verdict to be delivered on June 15, a date coinciding with the Baccalaureate exams.

The interim minister told a press conference today that the Education ministry staff will work 24/7 in the next few weeks in order to flawlessly organise the Baccalaureate exams as well as the national tests for the eight graders.

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