Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, between diplomacy, services and politics

Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu is a Romanian historian and diplomatist, who held the function of Minister for Foreign Affairs in Romania between 2004-2007.

At present, he is the director of the Romanian Foreign Information Services.

Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu was born on 22nd of September, 1968, in Iaşi, he is married and has one child.

Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu’s career in the Romanian government began in 1998, as a Secretary of State in MAE, under the guidance of Andrei Pleșu, the man, who, according to Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu’s words, had the greatest trust in him, but who made up in the most severe critic.

Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu held the Minister of Foreign Affairs function till 2001, when he became the permanent –under - secretary special emissary of the Stability Pact for South-East Europa (2001-2003) and, later, deputy coordinator of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI).

It was a period when he made himself conspicuous as a diplomatist. At SECI he was to return in a difficult moment from his career.

He was the Secretary of State between 2004-2007.

In the Secretary of State function, Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu was installed on 29th of December, 2004, in Tăriceanu’s government.

At that moment, he was 36 years old and he became the youngest Romanian Secretary of State.

Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu resigned from the Secretary of State function on February , 4th, 2007, two days after Călin Popescu Tăriceanu asked his resignation, because of the situation created by the suppression of the two Romanian workers in Irak.

The two workers, who were working at an American military base as non-contractors, were accused of espionage because they made photos without any approval in the interior of the base.

The Prime Minister set forth in Ungureanu’s resignation petition that he found out from newspapers, after 3 months, about the suppression of the Romanian workers in Irak, while President Basescu was informed after their suppression.

After his resignation from the leading of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu has returned to his owned function before being a minister, as a Romanian representative to the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), with the residence at Vienna.

According to his wealth statement, Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu had in 2011, salary revenues around 66.147 lei from the External Information Services and 28.574 lei from the Bucharest University.

Daniela Ungureanu, his wife, received 954 lei from the Clinical Institute Fundeni and 44.773 lei from the Clinical Institute of Digestive Diseases and Hepatic Transplant Fundeni.

The two had also had revenues from independent activities, from which 355.933 lei were from medical assistance services offered to OMV company.

Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu is a PNL member from 2004, but he suspended himself because he was incompatible with the owned function to SECI.

Video: The appointed Minister, Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, speaks during the UN Security Council as a president of security services.

Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu – Education

• “Al. I. Cuza” University, Iaşi; History Faculty (doctor’s degree) 1994 – 2004
• Centre for Jewish and Hebrew Studies, asociat St. Cross College, 1992 - 1993
• University of Oxford, Great Britain (post-university studies) 1988 - 1992
• “Al. I. Cuza” University, Iaşi; History Faculty – Philosophy
• “C. Negruzzi” Secondary school, Mathematics – Physics, Iaşi 1983 – 1987

Diplomatic activity

• The Deputy coordinator, the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), Vienna (March,2007 – December, 2007)
• The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania (December, 2004 – March, 2007)
• The Deputy coordinator, the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), Vienna (2003 – 2004)
• The Permanent –under - secretary special emissary of the Stability Pact for South-East Europa (2001-2003)
• The Secretary of State in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania (1998 – 2001)

Decorations:

• Knight of the National Order “Star of Romania” (Romania, 2008)
• Senior Officer of the National Order “For merit” (Romania, 2000)
• Senior Officer of the Order “Diplomatic Merit” (Romania, 2007)
• Member in the Honour Council of the Order “Diplomatic Merit” (2008)
• Commander first class of the Royal Order “Dannebrog” (Dennmark, 2000)
• The National Order “Star of Romania” Officer rank (Romania, 2011)

Translated by Anamaria Petrache
MTTLC, Bucharest University