President Iohannis Appoints Vice PM Gabriel Oprea Interim Prime Minister

President Klaus Iohannis has signed on Monday a decree to designate Vice PM Gabriel Oprea as interim Prime Minister, during the period of impossibility of exercising the prerogatives of Prime Minister by Victor Ponta, the Presidential Administration informs.

Previously, the president had announced he was waiting for medical documents to attest that Prime Minister Victor Ponta was unable to carry on his responsibilities as head of government.

Deputy Prime Minister Oprea (54yo) is the leader of the National Union for the Progress of Romania, the junior partner in the governing coalition head by Ponta’s Social Democrats, and also head of security affairs.

He had already taken over some of the Prime Minister’s responsibilities last week, as Ponta went through surgery in a clinic in Turkey and said he needed a long period of recovery.

Victor Ponta is being prosecuted for corruption, but, invoking his knee surgery, called for a postponement.

A General Turned Successful Politician

Four-star General, multi-minister and interim prime minister
Gabriel Oprea.

Gabriel Oprea graduated from the Active Officers' Military School in Sibiu with a degree in Military administration. He earned too a PhD in Law at the Bucharest University. He is a four-star Lieutenant general (retired) from 2009.

Gabriel Oprea is a constant presence in the Romanian cabinets beginning with 2002.

Between 2001 — 2002, Gabriel Oprea was Secretary of State, president of the National State Reserves Administration; between 2002 and 2003 he was Bucharest Prefect.

He was a PSD member between 2003 — 2009, between June 19, 2003 — July 14, 2004, he served as Minister-delegate for Public Administration in the Ministry of Administration and the Interior.

Ilfov deputy in the Parliament of Romania on behalf of PSD in 2004. He renewed his term of deputy on November 2008.

On December 2008, he was sworn in as Minister of Administration and the Interior in the first government headed by Emil Boc. He held this position until January 13, 2009, when he resigned.

Gabriel Oprea was appointed on December 2009 to take over the portfolio of Minister of National Defence, in the new Boc Government.

As of May 1, 2010 Oprea is the president of the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR).

He held the portfolio of Defence until February 6, 2012.

As of February 9, 2012 and until May 7, 2012 he was Minister of Defence in the Ungureanu Government.

In the December 2012 parliamentary elections he obtained a seat of Senator in Bucharest.

As of December 21, 2012 he is Deputy Prime Minister in the Ponta II Cabinet.

Since January 23, 2014 he serves as acting Minister of Internal Affairs.

Sources: RRI, Agerpres.