Marilen Pirtea, a favorite for the Ministry of Education: The rector of UVT is considering the mandate, while Emilia Șercan denounces a "mockery" amid plagiarism allegations.

Marilen Pirtea, the rector of the West University of Timișoara (UVT) and PNL deputy, is the main option for the liberals for the Education portfolio in the new government. Sources from the coalition indicate that his administrative experience and political support place him in pole position for taking over the mandate.

Asked about the possible appointment, Marilen Pirtea adopted an open position, stating that he is "a team player" and that he will not refuse the responsibility if the party decides so. He emphasized that his priority would be to ensure "predictability and coherent funding" in the system, suggesting that his expertise in university management and finance constitutes solid arguments for holding the position. Regarding the controversies concerning his academic past, the liberal considers the subject closed, invoking previous institutional verdicts that were favorable to him.

His nomination has, however, reactivated the discussion about the plagiarism accusations from 2016. The press reported at that time that Pirtea had taken entire passages without citation in essential scientific works for his career. The Ethics Committee of UVT, an institution led by Pirtea, analyzed the complaints at that time and decided that the suspicions were not confirmed, closing the case.

Investigative journalist Emilia Șercan reacted vehemently against this scenario, calling the proposal a "challenge" to academic integrity. She stated that "whitewashing" the accusations through a subordinate internal committee does not eliminate the evidence of identical texts and warned that appointing a minister with ethical vulnerabilities would compromise the credibility of the institution. Șercan accused PNL of ignoring minimum standards of honesty, arguing that Romania risks having once again a morally blackmailable Minister of Education.