Teodor Melescanu
Encyclopedia
Teodor Viorel Meleşcanu (b. 10 March 1941) is a Romania
n politician, diplomat and jurist. Currently serving as senator
for the National Liberal Party
(PNL), he was Minister of Defense between 2007 and 2008, and Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1992 and 1996. He was married to Felicia Meleşcanu, a jurist and Romanian Television journalist, until her death in January 2004.
Born in Brad, Hunedoara County
, he graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest
in 1964 and the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Geneva
in 1968. In 1973, he obtained a doctorate
in political science and international law from the University of Geneva.
Between 1966 and 1990 he held various diplomatic functions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In August 1990 he was named undersecretary of state in this ministry. Between November 1992 and November 1996 he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nicolae Văcăroiu
's Party of Social Democracy
(PDSR) government. In 1996 he campaigned as an independent for election to the Senate from the Prahova County
electoral district. He was elected to that body, becoming president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate of Romania in the 1996-2000 legislature.
In 1997, Meleşcanu founded the Alliance for Romania (Alianţa pentru România) party, together with several former members of the PDSR (Mircea Coşea
, Iosif Boda, and others). He was elected president of this party in December 1997 and re-elected in March 2001. In January 2002, in the wake of the Alliance for Romania's merger with the PNL, Meleşcanu became first vice-president of the latter party. Since 2004, he has been a Liberal senator for Prahova, also being a vice-president in the Permanent Bureau of the Senate.
He is a professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Bucharest, and has written a substantial number of works and scientific publications dealing with international law and diplomacy.
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 politician, diplomat and jurist. Currently serving as 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...
for the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
(PNL), he was Minister of Defense between 2007 and 2008, and Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1992 and 1996. He was married to Felicia Meleşcanu, a jurist and Romanian Television journalist, until her death in January 2004.
Hunedoara County
Hunedoara is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with its capital city at Deva.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 485,712 and the population density was 69/km².*Romanians - 92%*Hungarians - 5%*Romas - 2%*Germans under 1%....
, he graduated from the Faculty of Law of 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:...
in 1964 and the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
in 1968. In 1973, he obtained a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in political science and international law from the University of Geneva.
Between 1966 and 1990 he held various diplomatic functions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In August 1990 he was named undersecretary of state in this ministry. Between November 1992 and November 1996 he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nicolae Văcăroiu
Nicolae Vacaroiu
Nicolae Văcăroiu is a Romanian politician, member of the Social Democratic Party, who served as Prime Minister between 1992 and 1996. Before the 1989 Revolution he worked at the Committee for State Planning, together with Theodor Stolojan....
's Party of Social Democracy
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...
(PDSR) government. In 1996 he campaigned as an independent for election to the Senate from the Prahova County
Prahova County
Prahova is a county of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploieşti.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 829,945 and the population density was 176/km². It is Romania's most populated county, having a population density double than the country's mean...
electoral district. He was elected to that body, becoming president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate of Romania in the 1996-2000 legislature.
In 1997, Meleşcanu founded the Alliance for Romania (Alianţa pentru România) party, together with several former members of the PDSR (Mircea Coşea
Mircea Cosea
Dumitru Gheorghe Mircea Coşea is a Romanian politician, economist, diplomat, essayist, journalist and professor. A former member of the Party of Social Democracy until June 1997, he joined Teodor Meleşcanu and Iosif Boda in creating the short-lived Alliance for Romania party, which merged into...
, Iosif Boda, and others). He was elected president of this party in December 1997 and re-elected in March 2001. In January 2002, in the wake of the Alliance for Romania's merger with the PNL, Meleşcanu became first vice-president of the latter party. Since 2004, he has been a Liberal senator for Prahova, also being a vice-president in the Permanent Bureau of the Senate.
He is a professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Bucharest, and has written a substantial number of works and scientific publications dealing with international law and diplomacy.
External links
Teodor Meleşcanu's CV at the PNL site Teodor Meleşcanu on the site of the Chamber of Deputies of RomaniaChamber 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...