Ioan Talpes
Encyclopedia
Ioan Talpeș is a Romania
n Army general, military historian and politician. He served as head of the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service
(SIE) from 1992 to 1997. In 1997-8, Talpeș served as Ambassador to Bulgaria
and acted as an advisor to President
Ion Iliescu
from 1999 to 2000. He is currently an independent Senator
representing Caraş-Severin County
, having resigned from the Social Democratic Party
(PSD) in May 2005 because of a scandal involving the party.
commune, Caraș-Severin County. He graduated from the University of Bucharest
's Faculty of History in 1970, and received a PhD
in History in 1980. The same year, he graduated from the Nicolae Bǎlcescu School of Active Officers in Sibiu
.
Talpeș served as a research military officer at the Bucharest
Center for Study and Research in the Field of History and Military Theory (within the Defense Ministry) from 1970-1988.
and the fall of the Nicolae Ceaușescu
communist regime
, Talpeș relinquished his position at Editura Militară
, and served President Ion Iliescu as an advisor from July 1990 to April 1992. In March 1992, Talpeș was appointed head of SIE, a position he held until 1997. During this period, Talpeș was promoted to the rank of general.
Immediately following the 1996 elections
, Talpeș was immediately appointed ambassador to Bulgaria by the head of state, Emil Constantinescu
. He served in that capacity until December 20, 1998, following his resignation in November.
In January 1999, Talpeș resumed his duties as a personal advisor to Ion Iliescu, who was at the time leader of the PSD. When Iliescu was again elected president of Romania in December 2000, he appointed Talpeș head of the National Security Department and chief of the Presidential Administration.
On 8 March, 2004, Prime Minister Adrian Năstase
appointed Talpeș State Minister for the Coordination of National Defense, European Integration, and Justice, one of three "super minister" positions created as part of the government reshuffle to prepare for entry in the European Union
.
Talpeș was elected to the Parliament of Romania
in December 2004, where he continues to serve as a Senator representing his home county of Caraş-Severin.
Ioan Talpeș is particular mentioned in the report of the investigator of the Council of Europe
to illegal activities of the U.S. secret service CIA
in Europe, Dick Marty
, as one of the persons, who authorized or at least knew about and have to stand accountable for torture prisons
on the military base Mihail Kogălniceanu
from 2003 to 2005.
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 Army general, military historian and politician. He served as head of the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service
Serviciul de Informatii Externe
The Foreign Intelligence Service, or Serviciul de Informaţii Externe in Romanian, is, under Law no. 1/1998, "the state body specialized in foreign intelligence concerning the national security and the safeguarding of Romania and its interests"....
(SIE) from 1992 to 1997. In 1997-8, Talpeș served as Ambassador to 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...
and acted as an advisor to 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...
Ion Iliescu
Ion Iliescu
Ion Iliescu served as President of Romania from 1990 until 1996, and from 2000 until 2004. From 1996 to 2000 and from 2004 until his retirement in 2008, Iliescu was a Senator for the Social Democratic Party , whose honorary president he remains....
from 1999 to 2000. He is currently an independent Senator
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...
representing Caraş-Severin County
Caras-Severin County
Caraș-Severin is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Banat and few villages in Transylvania, with the county seat at Reșița.-Demographics:The county is part of the Danube-Kris-Mureș-Tisza euroregion....
, having resigned from 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) in May 2005 because of a scandal involving the party.
Communist period
Talpeș was born in TopleţToplet
Topleţ is a commune in Caraş-Severin County, western Romania with a population of 2923 people. It is composed of two villages, Bârza and Topleţ.-References:...
commune, Caraș-Severin County. He graduated from the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
's Faculty of History in 1970, and received a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in History in 1980. The same year, he graduated from the Nicolae Bǎlcescu School of Active Officers in Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
.
Talpeș served as a research military officer at the 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....
Center for Study and Research in the Field of History and Military Theory (within the Defense Ministry) from 1970-1988.
Post-1989 career
Following the Romanian Revolution of 1989Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
and the fall of the Nicolae Ceaușescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
, Talpeș relinquished his position at Editura Militară
Editura Militară
Editura Militară is a publishing house based in Bucharest, Romania. It was founded as a state-run company during the communist period on 27 December 1950.-External links:...
, and served President Ion Iliescu as an advisor from July 1990 to April 1992. In March 1992, Talpeș was appointed head of SIE, a position he held until 1997. During this period, Talpeș was promoted to the rank of general.
Immediately following the 1996 elections
Romanian presidential election, 1996
These are the results of the Romanian presidential elections of November 3, run-off held on November 17, 1996:-First round:-Run-off:...
, Talpeș was immediately appointed ambassador to Bulgaria by the head of state, 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...
. He served in that capacity until December 20, 1998, following his resignation in November.
In January 1999, Talpeș resumed his duties as a personal advisor to Ion Iliescu, who was at the time leader of the PSD. When Iliescu was again elected president of Romania in December 2000, he appointed Talpeș head of the National Security Department and chief of the Presidential Administration.
On 8 March, 2004, Prime Minister Adrian Năstase
Adrian Nastase
Adrian Năstase is a Romanian politician who was the Prime Minister of Romania from December 2000 to December 2004.He competed as the Social Democratic Party candidate in the 2004 presidential election, but was defeated by centre-right Justice and Truth Alliance candidate Traian Băsescu.He was...
appointed Talpeș State Minister for the Coordination of National Defense, European Integration, and Justice, one of three "super minister" positions created as part of the government reshuffle to prepare for entry in the 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...
.
Talpeș was elected to the Parliament of Romania
Parliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
in December 2004, where he continues to serve as a Senator representing his home county of Caraş-Severin.
Ioan Talpeș is particular mentioned in the report of the investigator of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
to illegal activities of the U.S. secret service CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
in Europe, Dick Marty
Dick Marty
Dick Marty is a Swiss politician and former state prosecutor of the canton of Ticino. He is a member of the Swiss Council of States , and a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.-Education:Marty holds a doctorate in law from the University of Neuchâtel with the thesis:...
, as one of the persons, who authorized or at least knew about and have to stand accountable for torture prisons
Black site
In military terminology, a black site is a location at which an unacknowledged black project is conducted. Recently, the term has gained notoriety in describing secret prisons operated by the United States Central Intelligence Agency , generally outside of U.S. territory and legal jurisdiction. It...
on the military base Mihail Kogălniceanu
Mihail Kogalniceanu International Airport
Mihail Kogălniceanu Airport is situated in south-east Romania, in the commune of Mihail Kogălniceanu, north northwest of Constanţa. It is the main airport of Dobrogea region and it provides access to the Constanţa County, the Constanţa city port and Black Sea Romanian resorts...
from 2003 to 2005.