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Ioan Dragos Tudorache nominated as interior minister
Dragos Tudorache has been nominated by Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos as interior minister.
The Romanian PM on Tuesday thanked former Interior Minister Petre Toba for his tenure and expressed his hope that the former minister would "clarify his situation as soon as possible; both the accusations leveled by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and the plagiarism suspicions that the National Council for Certification of University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates (CNATDCU) needs to confirm or dispel very soon."
"Given the situation, we took into consideration at first an interim nomination for a few weeks, in order to have more time to look into different options for an interior minister. I eventually decided not to go for an interim nomination. It's an important ministry, with important roles in the coming period, including organizing elections (...) and I believe an interim minister would only prolong the state of incertitude, which is neither useful nor fruitful. I will go for a final proposal. (...) I decided to go for a civilian, for as much objectivity and balance as possible. (...) I have to be honest and tell you I haven't had much choice, because it's difficult to convince and outsider to lead for four months a difficult and important ministry. I decided to recommend Dragos Tudorache, head of the Chancellery here in the Government," PM Ciolos announced.
He also stressed that Tudorache had the opportunity to work for the Ministry of Interior (MAI) and he knows the institution.
"Since he is part of the Government he worked closely with Mr. Toba and with MAI and I believe he can rise to the challenge at the Ministry of Interior," Ciolos said.
According to the PM, Dragos Tudorache is not planning to run for Parliament, and moreover, after the end of his office tenure he wants to "tend to his own business."
"I saw the comments and debates these days, rumors that PM Ciolos wants to send his man to influence elections. (...) I asked Mr. Tudorache to reflect in the period ahead, to meet with political leaders and explain to them clearly what he intends to do and how he intends to organize the elections, as transparently and as objectively as possible and to think about solutions for higher transparency in decision making. (...) One thing is sure: he is definitely not going to run in the election, he will stay until the end of his tenure, and then, he told me, he intends to tend to his own business, so I don't think he can be accused that he has vested interests in influencing elections," Ciolos pointed out.
Petre Toba submitted his resignation as interior minister last Thursday, after DNA accused him of aiding and abetting a perpetrator in the case of former officials in the Directorate for Intelligence and Internal Protection (DIPI) of MAI.
The head of DNA, Laura Codruta Kovesi, asked last Thursday for the notification of the Romanian president in order to decide whether or not Toba should be prosecuted for aiding and abetting a perpetrator in the case of DIPI officials.
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Tudorache was born on 14 January 1975.
He graduated from the Law Faculty of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi in 1997; he holds a Master's Degree in EU Law, Cum Laude, awarded by the Stockholm University, in 1999, and another Master's Degree in EU Law from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2015.
His professional background includes:
March 2015 — November 2015, Head of Unit, Coordination and Strategy, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium;
November 2013 — March 2015, Head of Unit, International Affairs, Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium;
March 2009 — November 2013, Head of Unit, Interim Executive Director of the Agency EU-LISA (2012), IT Large Projects: Schengen and visa information systems, Directorate — General Justice, Freedom and Security, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium;
May 2007 — March 2009, Schengen Facility Coordinator, DG Justice, Freedom and Security, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
March 2005 — May 2007, Task Manager, Justice and Anti-Corruption, European Commission Delegation, Bucharest, Romania;
2003 — 2005 — Head of Legal Department, UN team of international judges, the UN Interim Administration in Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo;
2000 — 2003 — Head of Unit and coordinator of analysis cell, Department for Rule of Law and Protection of Human Rights, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Mission in Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo;
1997 — 2002 — Judge, Galati Law Court.
He speaks English and French.