Dan Voiculescu

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Dan Voiculescu (b. September 25, 1946(1946-09-25)) is a Romanian politician and businessman. He is the founder and president of the Romanian Humanist Party, now the Conservative Party (PC). He previously owned, but legally turned over to his daughter, the Intact media group, comprising among others the newspapers Jurnalul Naţional and Gazeta Sporturilor and the TV stations Antena 1, Antena 2, Antena 3 and Antena 4.

The fortune accumulated by Voiculescu and his family since 1990 exceeds 400 million US$, making him one of the wealthiest men in Romania. The biography on his personal website refers to him as a "media magnate."^[1]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Political activities 2.1 Corruption investigation 2.2 Secret police allegations 2.3 Criticism 3 References

[edit] Early life

Voiculescu was born in Bucharest, in a family of modest means, who lived in the Bariera Vergului neighborhood. For his secondary studies, he went to the Emil Racoviţă High School.^[2] Starting in 1969, he studied at the Academy of Economic Studies (ASE) in Bucharest, obtaining a B.A. in 1974, and a Ph.D in 1977.^[1] He later obtained a Ph.D. in economics from Pacific Western University, in Los Angeles, California, and became a professor at ASE.^[2]

[edit] Political activities

In 1991, Voiculescu founded the Humanist Party of Romania, which changed its name to the Conservative Party (PC) in May 2005. Under Voiculescu's leadership, the party also markedly changed its doctine to embrace conservative values in line with the views of the European People's Party in the European Parliament. The PC, however, was not admitted into the European People's Party.^[3]

The PC was part of the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu from December 2004 until the party withdrew in 2006. According to Freedom House, one reason the government of Popescu-Tăriceanu included the small PC, which received support from only 2 percent of the population, was due to the strength of Voiculescu family's Antenna 1 television station.^[4] The PC, then called the PUR, also supported the previous Social Democratic Party (PSD)-led government from 2000-2004, and ran in coalition with the PSD in the 2004 Parliamentary and Presidential elections.

A member of the Romanian Senate, Voiculescu has been strong in his opposition to Romanian President Traian Băsescu, who he states has exceeded constitutional boundaries and abused power. In March, 2007, he established a special commission within the Parliament to investigate Băsescu's actions as president and sponsored the legislation in the Parliament that led to a national referendum over whether Băsescu should remain in office.^[5][6] Voiculescu was also strongly opposed to former Minister of Justice Monica Macovei.

[edit] Corruption investigation

The Romanian National Anti-corruption Department (DNA) announced on April 3, 2007, that it was investigating Voiculescu, his daughter, and several business associates for money laundering, with regard to funds obtained through the national lottery. Voiculescu denied the charges, claiming the investigation was politically motivated and that the transactions were legal.^[7]

Voiculescu has been accused of other corruption scandals, including an alleged scheme whereby Grivco, a company he owned, bought electrical energy from the state-controlled Rovinari complex, and sold the energy back to Electrica, another state-controlled company, at a large profit.^[8][9][10] Through a spokesman, Voiculescu declined to comment, on the grounds that in December 2004, at the time the contract was signed, he was just a shareholder, and not an administrator of Grivco.^[8]

[edit] Secret police allegations

Voiculescu admitted having been a collaborator of the Securitate,^[11] Romania's communist-era internal intelligence service, after information to this effect was released publicly by Romania's National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives. He acted as an informer for the Securitate by the names of "Felix" and "Mircea". He later claimed that he only collaborated "two or three times" for economic espionage.^[12] He was initially named to be a Vice Premier in the Popescu-Tăriceanu government, but was ultimately not allowed to take the position because of his involvement with the much-feared intelligence service that was relied upon heavily by the former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu.^[13][14][15]

Voiculescu denies, however, having been an official collaborator (with a signed agreement) or an officer of the Securitate and is appealing the CNSAS' ruling to that effect. He has said he will resign from the Senate if the verdict is not overturned on appeal. He blamed the initial findings against him on Băsescu, who, according to Voiculescu, launched a campaign to undermine him.^[16]

In July 2006, Camelia Voiculescu, the owner of Jurnalul Naţional, asked for editor Dorin Tudoran's resignation,^[17][18] following an editorial in which he criticized her father, Dan Voiculescu, for his past association with the Securitate.^[19]

[edit] Criticism

Leading British scholar on Romania, Tom Gallagher, of the University of Bradford, stated in January 2005, shortly after the PC entered the government, that Voiculescu "is a potentially major problem if the government decides to introduce legislation that will challenge vested interests which have profited through the questionable sale of state assets."^[20] Gallagher, who has authored many books and articles on Romania, stated in 2004 that it is well-documented that Voiculescu was not merely an informant, but held the rank of General within the Securitate before Romania's 1989 anti-communist revolution.^[21]

When Voiculescu stated in 2006 that he had cooperated with the Securitate as "all Romanians did" during the communist period, journalist Cristian Tudor Popescu replied "Mr. Voiculescu knows very well there were millions of Romanians who didn't have anything to do with the Securitate and others who simply refused to work for it."^[22]

In March 2007, European Commissioner for Justice Franco Frattini asked "Who is Voiculescu?," in response to a reporter's question as to whether he had read a letter from Voiculescu recommending Romania adopt a system of assets declarations for MPs and senior officials similar to that of Italy's. Voiculescu opposed a draft law proposed by Justice Minister Monica Macovei and supported by the European Commission to set up a special agency for checking assets declarations for MPs and other senior officials. He subsequently supported a version characterized as "watered down" by the international media.^[23]

President Băsescu has accused Voiculescu of being a "media mogul" who uses media trusts to fight political battles. He further accused Voiculescu of trying to control, through the media, the politics of the country.^[24]

In May 2007, Băsescu said “Oligarchs should not be confused with the business community. They are the few who have made fortunes thanks to facilities from government, people who have become very rich and now give orders to politicians, those who are supported financially by the oligarchs and who have turned into puppets of certain businessmen like Voiculescu, [Rompetrol owner Dinu] Patriciu, and many others.”^[25]

[edit] References