Romania lobbied to help restart the negotiations for receiving the most favored nation status at the end of July 1990, according to documents presented by Profit.ro. The documents were filed with the US Justice Department.

At the time, the country’s image abroad was affected by the inter-ethnic violent clashes that had taken place in Târgu Mureș and by the "miners' riot" that took place in June. Dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu had given up on the most favored nation clause in 1988.

Adrian Sârbu, the future head of TV station ProTV and CEO of Central European Media Enterprise, negotiated the contract with Trans World Insurance Brokers, an insurance broker in Beverly Hills, California. Sârbu was at the time head of cabinet and adviser of prime minister Petre Roman. The brokerage company later outsourced the services to a lobbyist, Fred Mutz, who had as main client the American Bankers Association, the documents consulted by Profit.ro show. Trans World Insurance Brokers received USD 200,000 for the contract.

The contract stipulated that Trans World Insurance Brokers would set up meetings for the client with various US officials “to improve the image of Romania as a fertile and sure business and foreign investment area, even if he has to hire public relations or lobbying firms to attain this purpose.”

Trans World Insurance Brokers hired Mutz for a period of 3 months, with a monthly fee of USD 7,500, the documents presented by Profit.ro show. In the initial reporting form between Mutz and the Romanian government, Budapest was listed as Romania’s capital, an error later corrected.

In April 1991, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) granted Romania the first standby loan after the 1989 Revolution. The US Congress gave the country again the most favored nation clause in 1993.

In March of this year, the High Court of Cassation and Justice has started the trial concerning the miner’s riot of June 13 – June 15 1990. Former president Ion Iliescu, former prime minister Petre Roman, Virgil Măgureanu, a former head of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), Adrian Sârbu and former miners’ union leader Miron Cozma stand trial in the case.

The June 1990 events are also known as the “miners’ riot”, because they involved miners coming from Valea Jiului to suppress the peaceful protests in Bucharest’s University Square against president Ion Iliescu’s political regime. Four people were killed and 1,388 were injured during the violent events, while 1,250 were illegally held.

The Romanian Supreme Court reopened the miners’ riot case, in March 2015, and former President Ion Iliescu was sent to court in June 2017.

Trial starts for ex-Romanian president charged with crimes against humanity in “miners’ riot” case

editor@romania-insider.com