Mircea Snegur
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Mircea Snegur | |
|---|---|
| File:Snegur ii.JPG | |
| 1st President of the Republic of Moldova | |
| In office September 3, 1990 – January 15, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Petru Lucinschi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 17, 1940 Trifăneşti, Floreşti district |
| Political party | Independent |
Mircea Ion Snegur (b. January 17, 1940 - Trifăneşti, now in Floreşti district) was the first President of Moldova 1990-1997. Before that he was Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet 1989-1990 (head of state) and Chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 27 April to 3 September 1990. In the Soviet era, he was often known in English as Mircha Ivanovich Snegur, a transliteration from the Russian Мирча Иванович Снегур.
A former Communist Party official, Snegur endorsed independence for Moldova and actively sought Western recognition. Moldova declared its independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991. However, Snegur's opposition to immediate reunification with Romania led to a split with the Moldovan Popular Front in October 1991 and to his decision to run as an independent candidate in a December 1991 presidential election. Running unopposed, he won after the Popular Front's efforts to organize a voter boycott failed.
In the presidential elections of 1996, Parliamentary speaker Petru Lucinschi surprised the nation with an upset victory over Snegur in a second round of balloting. He is since 1996 Senator of the International Parliament for Safety and Peace, and member of the Supreme Council of the Presidency.[citation needed]
Education
Chişinău Institute of Agriculture
Career
Member of the Communist Party 1964–1990
- 1967–1971 - worked as agronomist, manager of state and collective farms
- 1971–1978 - with the Ministry of Agriculture
- 1978–1981 - Director General of the Selektsiya Research Production Association, Kishinev
- 1981–1985 - Secretary of the Communist Party committee of Yedinetskiy district
- 1985–1989 - Secretary in the Central Committee of the CP of Moldavia
- 1989–1990 - Chairman of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of Moldavia
- 1990 (April-September) - Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Moldavia
- 1990–1996 - President of independent Moldova
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