Constantin Niţă
Encyclopedia
Constantin Niţă is a Romania
n economist and politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party
(PSD), he has been a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies
for Braşov County
since 2000. In the Emil Boc
cabinet, he was Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Business Environment from 2008 to 2009.
He is married and has one child.
, Iaşi County
, attended primary school there, and completed secondary studies at Theoretical High School no. 1 in Paşcani
in 1973. Following army
service (1973-1974), he studied Industrial Economics at the University of Iaşi, graduating in 1978. From that year until 1983 he studied Law at the same institution. He took a post-graduate course in foreign trade from 1983 to 1984, and from 1995 to 1999 worked on a doctorate at Iaşi, earning one in Marketing. He has taken additional courses in Lugoj and Bucharest
, and from 1998 to 2001 taught at the Transylvania University of Braşov
; since 2001, he has taught Marketing at the George Bariţiu University of Braşov. Niţă has co-written five books on marketing and tourism, written one, and published over 50 articles in specialty magazines. His first job was as an economist from 1978 to 1983; he headed the export division at a truck factory in Braşov
. From 1983 to 1986 he was also an economist at a motor vehicle import-export firm in Braşov, and from 1986 to 1993 headed a travel agency in that city. From 1990 to 1993 he was director of the Pîrîul Rece resort there, and from 1993 to 1997 he led an agency coordinating protocol visits to the Prahova Valley
. From 1997 to 2000 he directed another Braşov travel agency. He belongs to a number of civic associations in his adopted city.
From 1994 to 1997, Niţă was vice president of the Braşov organisation of the PDSR, predecessor to the PSD. Since 1997 he has headed the Braşov County PSD chapter as well as been a member of the party's national council. He also sat on the party's executive bureau from 1998 to 2004, and was elected one of its vice presidents in 2010. He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2000
, 2004
and 2008
. In the Chamber, he was secretary on the permanent bureau in 2000-2003 and vice president in 2003-2004; among his assignments was as vice president of the joint parliamentary committee providing oversight to the activities of Serviciul Român de Informaţii
(2004-2007). He drew attention for claiming boarding expenses of 832 million lei
(some $
26,000) in 2002, equal to at least 492 days at a hotel. Also that year, his name appeared on recordings of telephone conversations held by Sicilian
Mafia
bosses, who referred to him as being linked to their representative in Romania; Niţă categorically denied having links to the Mafia and sued former President
Emil Constantinescu
for making the transcripts public. He was named to the Boc cabinet in December 2008, delegating his Braşov party duties to others. As minister, Niţă predicted that nearly 40% of Romania's small and medium-sized businesses could go bankrupt due to the financial crisis; his priorities included unfreezing credits for them, simplifying their paperwork for obtaining European Union
grants and devoting 0.4% of GDP to helping them and creating jobs there, and restructuring his ministry. Together with his PSD colleagues, Niţă resigned from the cabinet on October 1, 2009, in protest at the dismissal of vice prime minister and Interior Minister Dan Nica
.
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 economist and politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Romania)
The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always...
(PSD), he has been a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Romania
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house in Romania's bicameral parliament. It has 315 seats, to which deputies are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms...
for Braşov County
Brasov County
Brașov ; ) is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" Burzenland and Făgăraș Land.-Demographics:...
since 2000. In the Emil Boc
Emil Boc
Emil Boc is the Prime Minister of Romania, having served since December 2008. In June 2004, he was elected Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania. Boc is also the president of the Democratic Liberal Party, who designated him as Prime Minister in 2008. On October 13, 2009, his...
cabinet, he was Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Business Environment from 2008 to 2009.
He is married and has one child.
Biography
He was born in MirosloveştiMiroslovesti
Mirosloveşti is a commune in Iaşi County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Mirosloveşti, Miteşti, Soci and Verşeni. Ciohorăni was also part of Mirosloveşti until 2005, when it split away to form a separate commune.-References:...
, Iaşi County
Iasi County
Iași is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with the administrative seat at Iași.-Demographics:As of 1 July 2007, Iași County had a population of 825,100, making it the second most populous county in Romania after Bucharest, with a population density of 150/km².*Romanians - 98.1%*Roma -...
, attended primary school there, and completed secondary studies at Theoretical High School no. 1 in Paşcani
Pascani
Paşcani is a city in Iaşi County in the Moldavia region of Romania on the Siret river. , it has a population of 42,172. Five villages are administered by the city: Blăgeşti, Boşteni, Gâsteşti, Lunca and Sodomeni....
in 1973. Following army
Romanian Land Forces
The Romanian Land Forces is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the force.The Romanian Land Forces were founded on...
service (1973-1974), he studied Industrial Economics at the University of Iaşi, graduating in 1978. From that year until 1983 he studied Law at the same institution. He took a post-graduate course in foreign trade from 1983 to 1984, and from 1995 to 1999 worked on a doctorate at Iaşi, earning one in Marketing. He has taken additional courses in Lugoj and Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, and from 1998 to 2001 taught at the Transylvania University of Braşov
Transylvania University of Brasov
Transylvania University is a state institution of higher education in Braşov, Romania which, by "offering education, scientific research and the number of students is one of the great universities of Romania, the representative of the region and university 7 Center" .It has sixteen faculties, a...
; since 2001, he has taught Marketing at the George Bariţiu University of Braşov. Niţă has co-written five books on marketing and tourism, written one, and published over 50 articles in specialty magazines. His first job was as an economist from 1978 to 1983; he headed the export division at a truck factory in Braşov
Brasov
Brașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania....
. From 1983 to 1986 he was also an economist at a motor vehicle import-export firm in Braşov, and from 1986 to 1993 headed a travel agency in that city. From 1990 to 1993 he was director of the Pîrîul Rece resort there, and from 1993 to 1997 he led an agency coordinating protocol visits to the Prahova Valley
Prahova Valley
Prahova Valley is the valley where the Prahova river makes its way between the Bucegi and the Baiu Mountains, in the Carpathian Mountains, Romania. It is a tourist region, situated about 100 km north of the capital city of Bucharest.Geographically, the Prahova river separates the Eastern...
. From 1997 to 2000 he directed another Braşov travel agency. He belongs to a number of civic associations in his adopted city.
From 1994 to 1997, Niţă was vice president of the Braşov organisation of the PDSR, predecessor to the PSD. Since 1997 he has headed the Braşov County PSD chapter as well as been a member of the party's national council. He also sat on the party's executive bureau from 1998 to 2004, and was elected one of its vice presidents in 2010. He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2000
Romanian legislative election, 2000
Legislative elections where be held in Romania on November 26, 2000, together with the Presidential election. The Greater Romania Party made big gains, as did the PDSR, which became the ruling party. The formerly governing Romanian Democratic Convention lost all its seats and was shortly...
, 2004
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...
and 2008
Romanian legislative election, 2008
Legislative elections were held in Romania on November 30, 2008. The Democratic Liberal Party won most seats in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, although the alliance headed by the Social Democratic Party won a fractionally higher vote share.-Electoral System:President Traian Băsescu...
. In the Chamber, he was secretary on the permanent bureau in 2000-2003 and vice president in 2003-2004; among his assignments was as vice president of the joint parliamentary committee providing oversight to the activities of Serviciul Român de Informaţii
Serviciul Român de Informatii
The Romanian Intelligence Service is the Romanian domestic intelligence service. It is considered the descendant of the former Departamentul Securităţii Statului , of the Socialist Republic of Romania. The official decree The Romanian Intelligence Service (', SRI) is the Romanian domestic...
(2004-2007). He drew attention for claiming boarding expenses of 832 million lei
Romanian leu
The leu is the currency of Romania. It is subdivided into 100 bani . The name of the currency means "lion". On 1 July 2005, Romania underwent a currency reform, switching from the previous leu to a new leu . 1 RON is equal to 10,000 ROL...
(some $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
26,000) in 2002, equal to at least 492 days at a hotel. Also that year, his name appeared on recordings of telephone conversations held by Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
bosses, who referred to him as being linked to their representative in Romania; Niţă categorically denied having links to the Mafia and sued former President
President of Romania
The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
Emil Constantinescu
Emil Constantinescu
Emil Constantinescu was President of Romania from 1996 to 2000.He graduated from the law school of the University of Bucharest, and subsequently started a career as a geologist...
for making the transcripts public. He was named to the Boc cabinet in December 2008, delegating his Braşov party duties to others. As minister, Niţă predicted that nearly 40% of Romania's small and medium-sized businesses could go bankrupt due to the financial crisis; his priorities included unfreezing credits for them, simplifying their paperwork for obtaining European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
grants and devoting 0.4% of GDP to helping them and creating jobs there, and restructuring his ministry. Together with his PSD colleagues, Niţă resigned from the cabinet on October 1, 2009, in protest at the dismissal of vice prime minister and Interior Minister Dan Nica
Dan Nica
Dan Nica is a Romanian engineer and politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party , he has been a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies for Galaţi County since 1996...
.