The new Romanian government under social democrat Victor Ponta faces ongoing economic challenges and promised to restart talks with international lenders as soon as possible.

Speaking to supporters in the Transylvanian city of Brasov on Saturday Ponta, leader of the Social-Liberal Union (USL) said "A top priority would be to meet the International Monetary Fund delegation in Bucharest ... They must see proof there is continuity in Romania. May 7 is the most probable date for parliamentary endorsement."

Ponta added "our term as new government is limited until the November parliamentary elections. We will stick to our USL programme."

Romania took a 20-billion-euro (26-billion-dollar) emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the World Bank in 2009 when its economy shrank 7 percent. The government has raised sales taxes to 24 percent and slashed public sector wages by a quarter in 2010 to meet the conditions of the loan, angering many Romanians and leading to street protests.

The IMF and European Commission said in a statement they expected Romania to “continue to observe its economic policy commitments to its international partners.”

Ponta will unveil his cabinet next week and said it would be made of USL officials who had been "former ministers or deputy ministers".

jm/msh (Reuters, AP)