Eugen Sturza (born 15 December 1984) is a Moldovan politician. He was the Minister of Defence of Moldova under President Igor Dodon and Prime Minister Pavel Filip.[1] Sturza at the time of his appointment was the youngest member of the Filip Cabinet, at 33 years old.

Eugen Sturza
Sturza in 2018
Minister of Defense
In office
24 October 2017 – 8 June 2019
PresidentIgor Dodon
Prime MinisterPavel Filip
Preceded byAnatol Șalaru
Succeeded byPavel Voicu
Personal details
Born (1984-12-15) 15 December 1984 (age 39)
Moldovan SSR, Soviet Union[citation needed]
Political partyEuropean People's Party of Moldova
SpouseAnastasia Sturza
Alma materAcademy of Economic Studies of Moldova

Career edit

 
With Stepan Poltorak.

In 2004, Sturza began his studies at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova in Chisinau.[2] After graduating, he became an advisor to Prime Minister Vlad Filat until 2013, when he became the Chief of Prime Minister's Office, a position he kept until 2015. That same year, he became a moderator within the Institute for European Policies and Reforms.

Minister of Defense edit

On 17 October 2017, the Constitutional Court of Moldova suspended President Igor Dodon for refusing to appoint Sturza as advised by the Prime-Minister (the Constitutional Court concluded at the time that the Prime-Minister´s advice was binding for the President and refusal to approve the appointment violated the Constitution).[3] On 24 October 2017 Sturza was sworn in as Minister of Defense against the wishes of President Dodon.[4][5][6] In the first 6 months in this position, Sturza has made it a goal to strengthen the Armed Forces where his predecessors did not.[7]

He was removed from his post as a result of the 2019 Moldovan constitutional crisis. In his farewell address, Sturza said that he hopes that under his leadership, the ministry "laid the foundation of an army of the future, and the Western model of development will remain the only accepted model for anyone to take over the leadership of the institution."[8]

Personal life edit

He is married and has two children. He is fluent in English as well as Russian.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ "Cel mai tânăr dintre miniștri. Cine este Eugen Sturza, proaspătul șef de la Apărare".
  2. ^ "Oficial! Eugen Sturza este ministru al Apărării. CV-ul și averea noului ministru". 24 October 2017.
  3. ^ "International News: Latest Headlines, Video and Photographs from Around the World -- People, Places, Crisis, Conflict, Culture, Change, Analysis and Trends". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2017-10-21. Retrieved 2018-03-02.
  4. ^ "Cine este Eugen Sturza, candidatul propus la Ministerul Apărării". 12 September 2017.
  5. ^ "Ситуация в Молдове, Стурза стал министром обороны в обход Додона - СЕГОДНЯ". www.segodnya.ua.
  6. ^ ȘTIRILE, PUBLIKA.MD - AICI SUNT (28 October 2017). "Евгений Стурза вступил в должность министра обороны Молдовы".
  7. ^ "Евгений Стурза: Молдова должна быть готова дать отпор, в том числе России". noi.md.
  8. ^ "Ministry of Defense of Republic of Moldova".
  9. ^ "Ministry of Defense of Republic of Moldova". www.army.md.