Codruţ Şereş
Encyclopedia
Ioan-Codruţ Şereş is a Romania
n engineer and politician. A member of the Conservative Party
(PC), he was a member of the Romanian Senate
for Maramureş County
from 2004 to 2008. In the Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
cabinet, he was Ministry of Economy and Commerce
from 2004 to 2006.
, and from 1988 to 1993 attended the Technical Military Academy of Bucharest
, becoming a mechanical engineer and graduating first in his class. In 1999 he earned a Master of Business Administration
through a programme organised by the University of Ottawa
, HEC Montréal
and the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies. From 1993 to 1999 he worked at the Defence Ministry, being assigned to the procurement department from 1996. From 1999 to 2004 he held management positions at three different firms, including as assistant director of Antena 1 (1999-2000) and as director of business development and strategy at Grivco
(2001-2003), both owned by Dan Voiculescu
, leader of the PC. In 2010, Şereş became president of Antena 1 and of Intact Media Group.
In 2001, Şereş joined the PUR (PC from 2005). In 2002, he became head of its department devoted to financing infrastructure projects for local PUR officeholders, and helped finance ten projects. In 2003 he became secretary general of the party, rising to vice president the following year, when he was also elected
senator. In the Senate, he sat on the following committees: budget, finance, banking and capital markets (2006-2008); equal opportunity (2006); and privatisation and administering state assets (2004-2006). He was also vice president of the body during one session. Additionally, he served as Economy Minister from December 2004 to December 2006, resigning when the PC withdrew its support from the government. Around the same time, prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) opened an investigation into Şereş dealing with his relationship to the Bulgaria
n consultant Stamen Stanchev. They charged he had granted insider information or otherwise used his position to help Stanchev facilitate the privatisation of Electrica
South Muntenia, of the Romanian government's 8% holding in Petrom
, and of Romexterra Bank, as well as the planned privatisation of the Turceni Energy Complex, allegations that he denied. In 2009, a formal criminal case was opened against Şereş, who was indicted for treason and organised crime; five other persons are involved in the case, including Şereş' former ministerial colleague Zsolt Nagy
.
In 1995, Şereş married Adina Zugravu, with whom he had a daughter in 1996 and whom he divorced in 2004. The catering firm of which she was director signed a number of no-bid contracts with the Economy Ministry while her former husband was in charge there. In 2006, he married Lorina Pop, the daughter of a Baia Mare
businessman who later became a personal adviser to Şereş.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n engineer and politician. A member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (Romania)
The Conservative Party of Romania is a political party formed in 1991, after the fall of Communism, under the name of the Romanian Humanist Party . From 2005 until December 3, 2006, the party was a junior member of the ruling coalition...
(PC), he was a member of the Romanian Senate
Senate of Romania
The Senate of Romania is the upper house in the bicameral Parliament of Romania. It has 137 seats , to which members are elected by direct popular vote, using Mixed member proportional representation in 42 electoral districts , to serve four-year terms.-Former location:After the Romanian...
for Maramureş County
Maramures County
Maramureș is a county of Romania, in the Maramureș region. The county seat is Baia Mare.- History :* The 10th century frontier county of Borsova was founded by Stephen I of Hungary. Since then Máramaros served as the north-eastern border of the Hungarian Kingdom until 1920, the Trianon Peace...
from 2004 to 2008. In the Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Calin Popescu-Tariceanu
Călin Constantin Anton Popescu-Tăriceanu is a Romanian politician. He was the Prime Minister of Romania between 29 December 2004 and 22 December 2008...
cabinet, he was Ministry of Economy and Commerce
Ministry of Public Finance (Romania)
The Ministry of Public Finance of Romania is one of the fifteen ministries of the Government of Romania.The minister's seat is currently held by the Democratic Liberal Party's Gheorghe Ialomiţeanu.The following agencies are subordinated to the Minister:...
from 2004 to 2006.
Biography
He was born in ZalăuZalau
Zalău is the seat of Sălaj County, Transylvania, Romania. In 2004, its estimated population was 62,900.- Ancient times :Zalău is situated in the area inhabited by "Free Dacians", 8 kilometers away from the historical landmark of Porolissum, a well-preserved Roman Castrum with an imposing fortress,...
, and from 1988 to 1993 attended the Technical Military Academy of Bucharest
Technical Military Academy of Bucharest
The Academia Tehnică Militară is a public university in Bucharest, Romania, founded in 1949....
, becoming a mechanical engineer and graduating first in his class. In 1999 he earned a Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
through a programme organised by the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, HEC Montréal
HEC Montréal
HEC Montréal , is the independent affiliated business school of the Université de Montréal, and the oldest management School in Canada. It holds accreditations from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA, one of three schools in North America to hold triple accreditation in management education...
and the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies. From 1993 to 1999 he worked at the Defence Ministry, being assigned to the procurement department from 1996. From 1999 to 2004 he held management positions at three different firms, including as assistant director of Antena 1 (1999-2000) and as director of business development and strategy at Grivco
Grivco
Grivco is one of the largest Romanian holding companies located in Bucharest. The holding is formed by more than 20 companies including fields of activity like trade, media, energy, industry and services. The holding also holds a controlling stake in one of the largest media trusts in Romania, the...
(2001-2003), both owned by Dan Voiculescu
Dan Voiculescu
Dan Voiculescu is a Romanian politician and former business man. He is the Vicepresident of the Romanian Senate and founding president of the Conservative Party in Romania. ....
, leader of the PC. In 2010, Şereş became president of Antena 1 and of Intact Media Group.
In 2001, Şereş joined the PUR (PC from 2005). In 2002, he became head of its department devoted to financing infrastructure projects for local PUR officeholders, and helped finance ten projects. In 2003 he became secretary general of the party, rising to vice president the following year, when he was also elected
Romanian legislative election, 2004
The Romanian legislative election of 2004 was held on 28 November 2004. 137 seats in the Senate of Romania and 314 seats in the Chamber of Deputies were up for election.The 2004 legislative election was held simultaneously with the presidential election...
senator. In the Senate, he sat on the following committees: budget, finance, banking and capital markets (2006-2008); equal opportunity (2006); and privatisation and administering state assets (2004-2006). He was also vice president of the body during one session. Additionally, he served as Economy Minister from December 2004 to December 2006, resigning when the PC withdrew its support from the government. Around the same time, prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) opened an investigation into Şereş dealing with his relationship to the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n consultant Stamen Stanchev. They charged he had granted insider information or otherwise used his position to help Stanchev facilitate the privatisation of Electrica
Electrica
Electrica is a Romanian state-owned company specialised in electric power supply and distribution. The company was established in 1998 as a division of CONEL , the largest electric power distribution company in the country at that time, but became a stand alone company in 2000 when CONEL was...
South Muntenia, of the Romanian government's 8% holding in Petrom
Petrom
Petrom is a Romanian oil company, the largest corporation in Romania and the largest gas and oil producer in Eastern Europe operating in several countries:*Romania - largest company;*Moldova - 2nd largest company, 31% market share;...
, and of Romexterra Bank, as well as the planned privatisation of the Turceni Energy Complex, allegations that he denied. In 2009, a formal criminal case was opened against Şereş, who was indicted for treason and organised crime; five other persons are involved in the case, including Şereş' former ministerial colleague Zsolt Nagy
Zsolt Nagy
Zsolt Nagy is a Romanian politician of Hungarian ethnicity. Since December 2004, he is the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, but he was suspended on June 11, 2007 due to an investigation regarding some strategic privatisations...
.
In 1995, Şereş married Adina Zugravu, with whom he had a daughter in 1996 and whom he divorced in 2004. The catering firm of which she was director signed a number of no-bid contracts with the Economy Ministry while her former husband was in charge there. In 2006, he married Lorina Pop, the daughter of a Baia Mare
Baia Mare
Baia Mare is a municipality in northwestern Romania and the capital of Maramureş County. The city is situated about 600 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania, 70 kilometres from the border with Hungary and 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine...
businessman who later became a personal adviser to Şereş.