On Thursday, April 23, 2026, a major political rupture took place at the top of the Romanian Government: six ministers backed by PSD submitted their resignations, including Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacșu, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan, Transport Minister Ciprian Șerban, Labor Minister Florin Manole, Justice Minister Radu Marinescu, and Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete.

President Nicușor Dan signed both the resignations and the appointment decrees for the six interim ministers after the documents reached the Presidential Administration on Thursday evening. Through presidential decree, the position of Minister of Agriculture was officially declared vacant following the resignation of Florin-Ionuț Barbu, and Deputy Prime Minister Tánczos Barna was appointed as interim Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan officially announced at the end of the Government meeting that he had acknowledged the resignations of the PSD ministers and that the Ministry of Agriculture portfolio would be taken over by Deputy Prime Minister Tánczos Barna, justifying the decision through his experience: “He has also managed the Agriculture portfolio and has extensive experience.”

Tánczos Barna is not unfamiliar with the Ministry of Agriculture: he served as State Secretary within the ministry between 2010 and 2012, and between 2020 and 2023 he was Minister of Environment. He is from Harghita County and, together with his family, owns an agricultural business specialized in beef cattle farming.

Barna stated that his priorities will be subsidies for farmers, diesel reimbursement payments, and support schemes for agricultural producers, adding that although interim mandates are usually routine, important decisions will be made even within just a few days under the current circumstances.

The interim mandate can last for a maximum of 45 days, during which Tánczos Barna will simultaneously lead both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance.

(Photo: Facebook Tánczos Barna)