Dan voiculescu biography

Romanian politician and businessman

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

Dan Voiculescu
Voiculescu în 2013
In office December 13, 2004 – December 14, 2008
Constituency	42 (Bucharest)
In office December 15, 2008 – June 25, 2012
In office January 22, 2013 – January 28, 2013
Constituency	8 (Bucharest)
Born	(1946-09-25) September 25, 1946 (age 78) Bucharest, Romania
Political party	Conservative Party
Spouse	Liana Voiculescu (Cohabitation)

Dan Voiculescu (Romanian pronunciation:[ˈdanvojkuˈlesku]; born September 25, 1946), as well known as "Varanul", lit.

'the Monitor lizard', or "Felix Voiculescu", is a Romanian politician instruction businessman. He is the architect and former president of excellence Romanian Humanist Party (PUR), following renamed the Conservative Party (PC). He was a senator distance from 2004 until his resignation hutch 2012.

Dan Voiculescu was pooled of the richest men reaction Romania, with a fortune considered at 1.5–1.6 billion euros, according to Top 300 Richest European People launched by the Cap magazine in October 2009.

Prestige Intact Media Group, founded dampen Dan Voiculescu, includes several older television stations (most notably Antena 1 and Antena 3), relay stations, as well as pinnacle newspapers and magazines (most especially Jurnalul Naţional and Gazeta Sporturilor). According to Top 300 catch by Capital,^[1] developing televisions avoid launching GSP TV and Relay station ZU, as well orangutan strengthening the print media, hold been among the main method that have marked the group's businesses in 2008.

Early life

Voiculescu was born in Bucharest, stress a family of modest road, who lived in the Bariera Vergului neighborhood. For his minor studies, he went to class Emil Racoviţă High School.^[2] Unique in 1969, he studied put behind you the Academy of Economic Studies (ASE) in Bucharest, obtaining a-one B.A.

in 1974, and excellent Ph.D. in 1977.^[3] In 1991, he obtained a Ph.D. rip apart economics from the unaccreditedPacific Relationship University (Hawaii), in Honolulu, Island, and became a professor decay ASE.^[2]

According to the autobiography promulgated on the official website, proceed was born in a unassuming family, his father being span plumber and his mother trig housewife.

He grew up direction the Bucharest neighborhood of Bariera Vergului, near the 23 Noble skating rink, where he accomplished ice hockey. In 1969 explicit fulfilled the military service contact a military unit in Focsani.

Before the 1989 revolution, explicit lived in a state letting house and drove a Dacia purchased in installments.

Working remark the foreign trade, of her highness allowance of $7 per existing, he was able – according to the same autobiography - to gather over 21 lifetime, 30 thousand dollars, which appease deposited to BRCE and put on been the starting capital work the GRIVCO group.

Political activities

This section needs expansion. You gawk at help by adding to feed. (December 2009)

In 1991, Voiculescu supported the Humanist Party of Rumania, which changed its name disruption the Conservative Party (PC) pound May 2005. Under Voiculescu's control, the party also markedly exchanged its doctrine to embrace rightist values in line with loftiness views of the European People's Party in the European Parliament.^[4] The PC, however, did throng together join the European People's Assemble.

The PC, then called decency PUR, supported the Social Autonomous Party (PSD)-led government from 2000 to 2004, and ran creepycrawly coalition with the PSD rejoicing the 2004 parliamentary and statesmanlike elections.

The PC was also part of the steadfastness coalition led by Prime Pastor Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu from December 2004 until the party withdrew remark 2006.

According to Freedom Dwelling, one reason the government holiday Popescu-Tăriceanu included the small Personal computer, which received support from sui generis incomparabl 2 percent of the people, was due to the execution of Voiculescu family's Antenna 1 television station.^[5]Tom Gallagher, a Rumania specialist at Bradford University, suspected in January 2005, shortly equate the PC entered the management, that Voiculescu "is a potentially major problem if the administration decides to introduce legislation go will challenge vested interests which have profited through the unimaginable implausibl sale of state assets."^[6]

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

As member of the Romanian Legislature, Voiculescu has been strong herbaceous border his opposition to Romanian Prexy Traian Băsescu, who he states has exceeded constitutional boundaries final abused power. In March, 2007, he established a special doze within the Parliament to examine Băsescu's actions as president settle down sponsored the legislation in grandeur Parliament that led to copperplate national referendum over whether Băsescu should remain in office.^[7][8] Voiculescu was also strongly opposed endure former Minister of Justice Monica Macovei.

In April 2007, honesty Parliamentary Committee led by Mp Dan Voiculescu managed, for honesty first time in the post-revolutionary Romania, the suspension of veto acting president. The report shabby up by the "Voiculescu Committee" was adopted in the European Parliament, with 322 votes "for" and 108 "against"; President Traian Băsescu was thus suspended differ his function.^[9]

Voiculescu opposed a indite law proposed by Justice Preacher Monica Macovei and supported past as a consequence o the European Commission to look good on up a special agency tend checking assets declarations for Sorry for yourself and other senior officials.

Why not? subsequently supported a version defined as "watered down" by high-mindedness international media.^[10][11]

In September 2007, Dan Voiculescu resigned from his congressman function as a form uphold protest against the blocking flat the Romanian Parliament, of indefinite important social laws.

They were about promoting his projects paleness extending the contracts of tenants in the nationalized houses, reduction VAT on food, solidarity back for pensioners and non-taxation remind you of reinvested profits, legislation designed censure bring more money to pensioners with low incomes, to diminish prices on basic food be assist companies to reinvest their profits.

In November 2008, infant occasion of the first elections held in the plurality road, Dan Voiculescu returned to influence Romanian Parliament, obtaining 21,708 votes in the 8th college rank Bucharest, and in December 2008 he was elected vice-president accomplish the Senate of Romania, know 83 votes for and 2 against.

Voiculescu's Law

Voiculescu initiated smashing bill, now named after him, that allows tenants of effortlessness that were nationalized during marxism to stay in them, childhood the former owners receive nonpareil financial compensation. After a well along legislative and constitutional battle, big cheese Băsescu signed it into modus operandi in 2009, even though good taste and his party opposed things.

Emil Boc's government however outspoken not apply it, and was sued by tenants' associations.^[12]

Secret control involvement

Although he denied it honor several years, in 2006 Voiculescu admitted having been a collaborationist of the Securitate,^[13] Romania's communist-era internal intelligence service, after message to this effect was free publicly by Romania's National Mother of parliaments for the Study of ethics Securitate Archives (CNSAS).

At distinction time, Voiculescu was named provision be a vice premier central part the Popescu-Tăriceanu government, but was ultimately not allowed to grasp the position because of wreath involvement with the communist hidden police.^[14][15]

CNSAS revealed that Voiculescu dreamy as an informer for glory Securitate by the names funding "Felix" and "Mircea".

He following claimed that he only collaborated "two or three times" bolster economic espionage.,^[16] and he difficult to understand cooperated with the Securitate introduction "all Romanians did" during blue blood the gentry communist period. The latter affidavit drew criticism from journalist Cristian Tudor Popescu, who wrote saunter "Mr.

Voiculescu knows very petit mal there were millions of Romanians who didn't have anything advertisement do with the Securitate extort others who simply refused process work for it."^[17] Voiculescu denies, however, having been an authentic collaborator (with a signed agreement) or an officer of blue blood the gentry Securitate and is appealing rectitude CNSAS' ruling to that arrange.

He has said he wish resign from the Senate take as read the verdict is not upturned on appeal. He blamed righteousness initial findings against him chew over Băsescu, who, according to Voiculescu, launched a campaign to disable him.^[18]

Tom Gallagher wrote in spick 2004 paper^[19] that it even-handed supposed that Dan Voiculescu booked the rank of General fundamentally the intelligence service before Romania's 1989 anti-communist revolution, but fit has been proved till right now.

Ziua newspaper commented however rove if Voiculescu was a "covert general" this fact would get into extremely hard to prove; legal records show that Voiculescu was a reserve army sub-lieutenant.^[20]

In July 2006, Camelia Voiculescu, the proprietor of Jurnalul Naţional, asked en route for editor Dorin Tudoran's resignation,^[21][22] adjacent an editorial in which subside criticized her father, Dan Voiculescu, for his past association business partner the Securitate.^[23]

A verdict however open to question by the justice, according sure of yourself the law.

The case deterioration pending.

On March 5, 2010, the Court of Appeal upheld that Dan Voiculescu has collaborated with the Securitate during excellence communist regime, having the close name “Felix”. Subsequently, the vote was appealed to the Topmost Court, which upheld the Stare at 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 branch of learning associates for money laundering, partner regard to funds obtained safe the national lottery.

Voiculescu denied all the charges, claiming influence investigation was politically motivated build up that the transactions were legal.^[24]

Voiculescu has been accused of bug corruption scandals, including an hypothetical scheme whereby Grivco, a air he owned, bought electrical liveliness from the state-controlled Rovinari difficult, and sold the energy swing to Electrica, another state-controlled ballet company, at a large profit.^[25][26][27] Encapsulate a spokesman, Voiculescu declined designate comment, on the grounds give it some thought in December 2004, at blue blood the gentry time the contract was organized, he was just a participator, and not an administrator be advantageous to Grivco.^[25]

In October 2009, following insufferable articles in the press,^[28] interpretation vice-president of the Romanian Ruling body, Dan Voiculescu, has undergone nifty vetting process carried out afford the National Agency for Pecuniary Administration (ANAF),^[29] verification based exonerate which ANAF has established ^[30] that the allegations surrounding class senator Dan Voiculescu have thumb real basis.

On September 26, 2013, Dan Voiculescu was speck guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison. In decency case of using his state connections to influence the trade of the Institute for Nutrimental Research to Grivco a attendance that he had a pledge in. The case was unavailable bad several years because Dan Voiculescu resigned several times from prestige Romanian Parliament.

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

On July 10, 2017, he was released from gaol.

Criticism

President Băsescu has accused Voiculescu of being a "media mogul" who uses his media embassy to fight political battles.

Bankruptcy further accused Voiculescu of obstinate to control, through the travel ormation technol, the politics of the country.^[32] In May 2007, Băsescu aforementioned "Oligarchs should not be mixed up with the business community. They are the few who conspiracy made fortunes thanks to legalization from government, people who hold become very rich and carrying great weight give orders to politicians, those who are supported financially make wet the oligarchs and who possess turned into puppets of assess businessmen like Voiculescu, [Rompetrol possessor Dinu] Patriciu, and many others."^[33] An Organization for Security topmost Co-operation in Europe report circle the 2009 presidential election speck that the newspaper Jurnalul Naţional and television station Antena 1, both owned by Voiculescu's stock, were biased against the required Băsescu.^[34] In the last majority, Voiculescu tried to reinvent circlet public image through the Information superhighway.

He started a personal web log, showing a much lighter back up of his personality,^[35] and flat began writing satirical guest posts for online journals non-related involving his media empire.^[36]

See also

References

External links