This is clearly a political move in preparation for the coming elections. For example the resignation took place right AFTER the IMF visit (and I just lost a bet to an older friend who anticipated this since December).
The current president is on the 2nd term and he cannot run for any more terms (in Romania you cannot be president more than twice). So a new candidate must be prepared. Because of this, the ex-prime minister made the most unpopular (but needed) reforms, and paved the way for a new person to become prime minister now, and presidential candidate soon.
Basically, the ex prime minister will now take all "the bullets", from crap like ACTA, to pension reform, no matter how much it depended or not on him.
BTW: let's not forget when the opposition party was in power 10 years ago and they used to send journalists to jail because they dared to uncover their theft (ie: "Armaggedon Reports"). So I doubt that they really are concerned about ACTA. It is more likely something extra to throw in the political battle.
The current president is on the 2nd term and he cannot run for any more terms (in Romania you cannot be president more than twice). So a new candidate must be prepared. Because of this, the ex-prime minister made the most unpopular (but needed) reforms, and paved the way for a new person to become prime minister now, and presidential candidate soon.
Basically, the ex prime minister will now take all "the bullets", from crap like ACTA, to pension reform, no matter how much it depended or not on him.
BTW: let's not forget when the opposition party was in power 10 years ago and they used to send journalists to jail because they dared to uncover their theft (ie: "Armaggedon Reports"). So I doubt that they really are concerned about ACTA. It is more likely something extra to throw in the political battle.