The Romanian parliament gave the green light Tuesday evening for the new cabinet of Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu.

The vote was a majority of 265 in favor and 200 against, with four deputies absent, approving the cabinet formed after legislative elections on November 28.

The 24-member cabinet is made up of Tariceanu's Justice and Truth Alliance DA, the ethnic Hungarian Union of Magyars Party and the Humanist Party.

"Today ends the transition to a market economy and begins the process of modernizing the country, a process closely linked to joining the European Union," Tariceanu told the parliament before the vote.

He said priorities would include "fighting corruption, guaranteeing freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary."

Tariceanu said another priority "will be lowering taxes and increasing pensions, with a rise of 30 percent by 2008."

Romania is seeking to join the EU in 2007 and is required to carry out economic reforms and fight corruption that plagued previous governments.

Tariceanu was appointed after Bucharest Mayor Basescu won presidential elections December 12, defeating Ion Iliescu who had ruled Romania for 11 of the 15 years since the execution in 1989 of Nicolae Ceausescu.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2004)