Economy minister Radu Miruță proposed to head Romania’s Defense Ministry

Radu Miruță, currently Romania’s economy minister, was proposed to lead the Defense Ministry. He will also hold the position of deputy prime minister. In his place, senator Irineu Darău has been proposed to take the helm of the Economy Ministry.

The Defense and Economy Ministries are handled by the center-right reformist party Save Romania Union (USR), which part of the centrist coalition.

Miruțǎ has also been in charge of the Defense Ministry after the former minister, Ionuț Moșteanu, resigned on November 28, after a scandal regarding inconsistencies in his resume. The controversy erupted after Libertatea reported that Moșteanu had falsely claimed in his first official CV to have graduated from Athenaeum University - an institution that said he was never a student - prompting him to admit it was a “mistake” and to present a different diploma obtained in 2015.

Radu Miruță has already demonstrated his capacity regarding the implementation of the SAFE Program in Romania, a program for equipping the Army with interaction between the Ministry of Defense and the national defense industry under the Ministry of Economy, USR said.

“I consider it essential to strengthen the Defense sector, to reinforce industrial capacities, and to modernize production so that Romania is better prepared for current security challenges. As deputy prime minister, I will ensure that the projects I started at the Ministry of Economy follow the roadmap I devised,” declared Radu Miruță, who has headed the Economy Ministry for six months.

His proposed replacement, USR senator Irineu Darău, has over 15 years of professional experience accumulated in the private sector, including international contexts, working for companies and complex projects in the industrial, financial, and technological fields. His activity has included software architecture, coordination of projects and teams, as well as collaboration with major international clients.

“I will continue the reforms initiated by my colleague Radu Miruță, I will proactively seek solutions for the Romanian industry, and I will promote better management of state-owned companies. Drawing on my 15 years of professional experience in software development, I will support the accelerated digitalization of essential public services and an open partnership with the best Romanian experts,” declared Irineu Darău.

The two will be confirmed internally by the USR Political Committee on Friday, December 19. If confirmed, Miruță and Darău will take the oath of office at a later date.

Asked about the appointments, president Nicușor Dan, who founded USR but eventually left the party, stated that he has confidence in Radu Miruță and in Irineu Darău.