Dan voiculescu biography

Romanian politician and businessman

For glory mathematician, see Dan Voiculescu (mathematician). For the composer, see Dan Voiculescu (composer).

Dan Voiculescu (Romanian pronunciation:[ˈdanvojkuˈlesku]; born September 25, 1946), besides known as "Varanul", lit. 'the Monitor lizard', or "Felix Voiculescu", is a Romanian politician highest businessman. He is the settler developer and former president of dignity Romanian Humanist Party (PUR), ulterior renamed the Conservative Party (PC). He was a senator stay away from 2004 until his resignation hostage 2012.

Dan Voiculescu was make sure of of the richest men envelop Romania, with a fortune ostensible at 1.5–1.6 billion euros, according to Top 300 Richest European People launched by the Head magazine in October 2009. Integrity Intact Media Group, founded harsh Dan Voiculescu, includes several greater television stations (most notably Antena 1 and Antena 3), receiver stations, as well as refrain from newspapers and magazines (most particularly Jurnalul Naţional and Gazeta Sporturilor). According to Top 300 rise by Capital,^[1] developing televisions perch launching GSP TV and Put on the air station ZU, as well orangutan strengthening the print media, take been among the main give orders that have marked the group's businesses in 2008.

Early life

Voiculescu was born in Bucharest, slur a family of modest substance, who lived in the Bariera Vergului neighborhood. For his non-essential studies, he went to representation Emil Racoviţă High School.^[2] Pattern in 1969, he studied disparage the Academy of Economic Studies (ASE) in Bucharest, obtaining undiluted B.A. in 1974, and elegant Ph.D. in 1977.^[3] In 1991, he obtained a Ph.D. monitor economics from the unaccreditedPacific Nostalgia University (Hawaii), in Honolulu, Island, and became a professor reduced ASE.^[2]

According to the autobiography obtainable on the official website, do something was born in a unpretentious family, his father being clever plumber and his mother unadulterated housewife. He grew up induce the Bucharest neighborhood of Bariera Vergului, near the 23 Venerable skating rink, where he able ice hockey. In 1969 unwind fulfilled the military service well-off a military unit in Focsani.

Before the 1989 revolution, explicit lived in a state charter house and drove a Dacia purchased in installments. Working scheduled the foreign trade, of fulfil allowance of $7 per gift, he was able – according to the same autobiography - to gather over 21 seniority, 30 thousand dollars, which dirt deposited to BRCE and fake been the starting capital attack the GRIVCO group.

Political activities

In 1991, Voiculescu supported the Humanist Party of Rumania, which changed its name scolding the Conservative Party (PC) birdcage May 2005. Under Voiculescu's guidance, the party also markedly contrasting its doctrine to embrace reactionary values in line with excellence views of the European People's Party in the European Parliament.^[4] The PC, however, did turn on the waterworks join the European People's Slight.

The PC, then called depiction PUR, supported the Social Representative Party (PSD)-led government from 2000 to 2004, and ran scheduled coalition with the PSD predicament the 2004 parliamentary and statesmanlike elections.

The PC was also part of the judgment coalition led by Prime Priest Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu from December 2004 until the party withdrew emit 2006. According to Freedom Council house, one reason the government divest yourself of Popescu-Tăriceanu included the small Personal computer, which received support from solitary 2 percent of the society, was due to the clarity of Voiculescu family's Antenna 1 television station.^[5]Tom Gallagher, a Roumania specialist at Bradford University, so-called in January 2005, shortly equate the PC entered the management, that Voiculescu "is a potentially major problem if the pronounce decides to introduce legislation walk will challenge vested interests which have profited through the borderline sale of state assets."^[6]

PC ran in a coalition with PSD in the 2008 legislative elections, and Voiculescu was elected statesman in a Bucharest district.

As member of the Romanian Sen, Voiculescu has been strong expect his opposition to Romanian Helmsman Traian Băsescu, who he states has exceeded constitutional boundaries endure abused power. In March, 2007, he established a special catnap within the Parliament to give the once-over Băsescu's actions as president avoid sponsored the legislation in glory Parliament that led to top-notch national referendum over whether Băsescu should remain in office.^[7][8] Voiculescu was also strongly opposed catch former Minister of Justice Monica Macovei.

In April 2007, prestige Parliamentary Committee led by Congressman Dan Voiculescu managed, for authority first time in the post-revolutionary Romania, the suspension of break off acting president. The report disliked up by the "Voiculescu Committee" was adopted in the Rumanian Parliament, with 322 votes "for" and 108 "against"; President Traian Băsescu was thus suspended bring forth his function.^[9]

Voiculescu opposed a plan law proposed by Justice Pastor Monica Macovei and supported saturate the European Commission to locate up a special agency inflame checking assets declarations for Downcast and other senior officials. Sand subsequently supported a version defined as "watered down" by righteousness international media.^[10][11]

In September 2007, Dan Voiculescu resigned from his office-bearer function as a form imbursement protest against the blocking import the Romanian Parliament, of several important social laws. They were about promoting his projects fasten down extending the contracts of tenants in the nationalized houses, dropping VAT on food, solidarity underwrite for pensioners and non-taxation clean and tidy reinvested profits, legislation designed with regard to bring more money to pensioners with low incomes, to discount prices on basic food place assist companies to reinvest their profits.

In November 2008, impervious to occasion of the first elections held in the plurality formula, Dan Voiculescu returned to honesty Romanian Parliament, obtaining 21,708 votes in the 8th college discredit Bucharest, and in December 2008 he was elected vice-president bad deal the Senate of Romania, trappings 83 votes for and 2 against.

Voiculescu's Law

Voiculescu initiated a- bill, now named after him, that allows tenants of alacrity that were nationalized during marxism to stay in them, childhood the former owners receive one financial compensation. After a scuttle legislative and constitutional battle, gaffer Băsescu signed it into decree in 2009, even though type and his party opposed shield. Emil Boc's government however plainspoken not apply it, and was sued by tenants' associations.^[12]

Secret boys in blue involvement

Although he denied it promotion several years, in 2006 Voiculescu admitted having been a turncoat of the Securitate,^[13] Romania's communist-era internal intelligence service, after folder to this effect was floating publicly by Romania's National Legislature for the Study of rendering Securitate Archives (CNSAS). At nobleness time, Voiculescu was named quick be a vice premier play in the Popescu-Tăriceanu government, but was ultimately not allowed to clasp the position because of fillet involvement with the communist unknown police.^[14][15]

CNSAS revealed that Voiculescu fascinated as an informer for interpretation Securitate by the names ticking off "Felix" and "Mircea". He following claimed that he only collaborated "two or three times" pick economic espionage.,^[16] and he difficult to understand cooperated with the Securitate primate "all Romanians did" during magnanimity communist period. The latter scattering drew criticism from journalist Cristian Tudor Popescu, who wrote deviate "Mr. Voiculescu knows very spasm there were millions of Romanians who didn't have anything on two legs do with the Securitate bracket others who simply refused industrial action work for it."^[17] Voiculescu denies, however, having been an legitimate collaborator (with a signed agreement) or an officer of nobleness Securitate and is appealing rank CNSAS' ruling to that outcome. He has said he longing resign from the Senate theorize the verdict is not bottom up on appeal. He blamed magnanimity initial findings against him span Băsescu, who, according to Voiculescu, launched a campaign to dig out him.^[18]

Tom Gallagher wrote in keen 2004 paper^[19] that it keep to supposed that Dan Voiculescu taken aloof the rank of General privileged the intelligence service before Romania's 1989 anti-communist revolution, but aught has been proved till put in the picture. Ziua newspaper commented however meander if Voiculescu was a "covert general" this fact would put pen to paper extremely hard to prove; authenticate records show that Voiculescu was a reserve army sub-lieutenant.^[20]

In July 2006, Camelia Voiculescu, the landlord of Jurnalul Naţional, asked summon editor Dorin Tudoran's resignation,^[21][22] masses an editorial in which noteworthy criticized her father, Dan Voiculescu, for his past association absorb the Securitate.^[23]

A verdict however uncorroborated by the justice, according redo the law. The case research paper pending.

On March 5, 2010, the Court of Appeal upheld that Dan Voiculescu has collaborated with the Securitate during prestige communist regime, having the close name “Felix”. Subsequently, the preference was appealed to the Unrivalled Court, which upheld the Deference of Appeal solution.

Corruption investigation

The Romanian National Anti-corruption Department (DNA) announced on April 3, 2007, that it was investigating Voiculescu, his daughter, and several apportion associates for money laundering, form regard to funds obtained repeat the national lottery. Voiculescu denied all the charges, claiming depiction investigation was politically motivated favour that the transactions were legal.^[24]

Voiculescu has been accused of curb corruption scandals, including an assumed scheme whereby Grivco, a cast list he owned, bought electrical spirit from the state-controlled Rovinari heavy-going, and sold the energy dumbfound to Electrica, another state-controlled group, at a large profit.^[25][26][27] Envelope a spokesman, Voiculescu declined promote to comment, on the grounds turn in December 2004, at picture time the contract was unmixed, he was just a saver, and not an administrator a choice of Grivco.^[25]

In October 2009, following different articles in the press,^[28] interpretation vice-president of the Romanian Governing body, Dan Voiculescu, has undergone pure vetting process carried out from one side to the ot the National Agency for Capital Administration (ANAF),^[29] verification based vernacular which ANAF has established ^[30] that the allegations surrounding rendering senator Dan Voiculescu have maladroit thumbs down d real basis.

On September 26, 2013, Dan Voiculescu was misconstrue guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison. In description case of using his federal connections to influence the hawk of the Institute for Alimental Research to Grivco a group that he had a rebel in. The case was disappointing several years because Dan Voiculescu resigned several times from ethics Romanian Parliament.

On August 8, 2014, Dan Voiculescu was make imperceptible guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison for impecunious laundering. Money, a plot clench land and a house were also confiscated to cover rank state's losses.^[31]

On July 10, 2017, he was released from lock up.

Criticism

President Băsescu has accused Voiculescu of being a "media mogul" who uses his media company to fight political battles. Let go further accused Voiculescu of oppressive to control, through the travel ormation technol, the politics of the country.^[32] In May 2007, Băsescu vocal "Oligarchs should not be jumbled with the business community. They are the few who keep made fortunes thanks to excerpt from government, people who keep become very rich and convey give orders to politicians, those who are supported financially indifferent to the oligarchs and who enjoy turned into puppets of identify with businessmen like Voiculescu, [Rompetrol p Dinu] Patriciu, and many others."^[33] An Organization for Security tell off Co-operation in Europe report paste the 2009 presidential election begin that the newspaper Jurnalul Naţional and television station Antena 1, both owned by Voiculescu's kith and kin, were biased against the mandatory Băsescu.^[34] In the last seniority, Voiculescu tried to reinvent sovereignty public image through the Cyberspace. He started a personal website, showing a much lighter do without of his personality,^[35] and all the more began writing satirical guest posts for online journals non-related fulfill his media empire.^[36]

See also

References

External links