Vasile Puscas, appointed new head of European Affairs Department

Vice-premier Dan Nica on Tuesday attended the official taking over by Social-Democrat Vasile Puscas – Romania’s former chief negotiator with the European Union – of the portfolio of Secretary of state for European Affairs.

Puscas succeeds Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea at the helm of the European Affairs Department (DAE), which stands under the government’s authority.

Vasile Puscas was appointed DAE head by the decision of Premier Emil Boc, at the proposal of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

The European Affairs Department is coordinated by vice-Premier Dan Nica.

Born July 8, 1952, Vasile Puscas holds a degree in history and social sciences from the History – Philosophy Faculty of the ‘Babes-Bolyai’ University of Cluj-Napoca (1976). He earned a doctor’s degree in history (1991).

He worked as a university assistant professor (1979-1990), lecturer, pro-dean (1990-1991) with the Faculty of History and Philosophy, dean with the Faculty of Political Sciences and Public Administration (1995), reader with the Department of Contemporary History (1995), professor of international relations with the Faculty of History (1995-2000) of the ‘Babes-Bolyai’ University of Cluj-Napoca; dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences of the ‘Bogdan Voda’ University (1998-2000).

He was also co-director of the Centre for Democracy and Post-Communist Studies (1990-1991); senior consultant with the ‘Manfred Woerner’ Foundation, Bucharest (1997); director of the Master’s Program for the Management of International Affairs with the Institute for International Studies (ISI), director of the Journalism and Communication Training Centre and director of ISI – Cluj-Napoca (1999-2000).

Director of the Romanian Cultural Centre in New York (1991-1992); Minister-counselor and interim ambassador with the Romanian Embassy in the US (1992-1994).

Member of the Social Democratic Party as of 2001 and deputy in the 2000-2004 and 2004-2008 legislative terms.

Minister-delegate with the Ministry of European Integration – chief-negotiator with the EU (2000-2004).

Member of the Society of Romanian Historians, of the Academy for Political Science in New York and of the ‘Russian, East European and Eurasian Center’ of the Illinois University (US).

Author of nine volumes; co-author of 16 books, two courses, 70 articles and essays.

Coordinator of the ‘Politica’ (Politics) collection (’Dacia’ Publishing House, Cluj-Napoca), editor of the International politics and diplomacy collection (’Sincron’ Publishing House, Cluj-Napoca) and of the special magazines ‘Dosarele istoriei’ (History files) (Bucharest) and ‘Central European Political Science Review’ (Budapest). AGERPRES