Armenian Varujan Vosganian Appointed Romania\’s Minister of Economy

SOFIA — Romanian Parliament has endorsed new Cabinet of Victor Ponta on December 21, in which Armenian Varujan Vosganian was appointed as the Minister of Economy of the country.
“We think that he is one of the great individuals of Diaspora who has a lot of achievements and represents as real Armenian,” said the leader of one of Armneian community organizatuins. According to him Varujan continues the tradition of Armenians who have been ministers, parliamentarians and politicians in Romania. “I am a 100 % Armenian and 1000% Romanian,” he has once jokingly noted.
Born in Craiova to a family of Armenian ethnicity, Vosganian studied at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza High School in Focsani. He then studied Commerce at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (graduated 1982) and Mathematics at the University of Bucharest (graduated 1991), gaining a Ph.D. in economics in 1998.
In 1990, he became president of the Armenians’ Union of Romania and he was twice (1990-1992 and 1992-1996) elected a member of the Chamber of Deputies, and twice a Senator (1996-2000 and 2004-2008), on the lists of the National Liberal Party.
Between 1996 and 2003, he was the leader of Uniunea Fortelor de Dreapta, a small right wing liberal party, which was eventually merged into the National Liberal Party.
Vosganian has written several books, especially on economics and politics, but also fiction and poetry. He is a member of the Romanian Writers’ Union, and since 2005, he has served as its vice president. Vosganian is also a leading member of the Romanian Humorists’ Association.
In December 2006, he was named Minister of Economy and commerce.
Vosganian’s political views can be characterised as right-wing conservative.
Vosganian has written several books, especially on economics and politics, but also fiction and poetry. He is a member of the Romanian Writers’ Union, and since 2005, he has served as its vice president. Vosganian is also a leading member of the Romanian Humorists’ Association.
One of his achievements is his book titled “The book of whispers” about Armenian Genocide. Varujan Vosganian noted that it was a victory for him to speak Armenia. According to him culture is the most important tool to fight injustice, because the book is more powerful than thousands of political speeches, talks and diplomatic efforts. In the author’s words his book is about the Armenian identity.