Dan Șova

Dan Şova (born 9 April 1973 in Bucharest, Romania) is a Romanian politician of the Social Democratic Party (PSD ). Since 2008 he has been since August 2012 Senator and Minister in the Cabinet Ponta.

His term falls within the period of the Romanian national crisis of 2012.

Life and work

In addition to law Şova studied in Bucharest and historians. He worked as a lawyer since 2008 and Senator of the Social Democratic Party PSD for the circle Olt.

Şova had in March 2012 lost its function as a PSD spokesman, after he publicly denied the pogrom of Iasi and Ion Antonescu, Dictator in the Kingdom of Romania glorified. Although historical evidence beyond reasonable doubt that the pogrom in Romania fell more than 13,000 people died, claimed Şova that " historical facts show that 24 Romanian citizens of Jewish descent were killed by German soldiers in Iasi. [ ... ] Romanian soldiers were not involved. " In a country from the Institute for the Study of the Romanian Holocaust Elie Wiesel ( INSHR -EW ) disseminated press release the findings of the social-democratic politician were sharply criticized and described as a violation of the Romanian laws provisions. The Roma organization Romani CRISS and the MCA ( center to combat anti-Semitism in Romania) presented against the Senator criminal charges of Holocaust denial. Şova then was for a public apology from Victor Ponta to Washington, DC sent, so that he could inform the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on the historical facts.

Şova was appointed as the new Minister for Relations with Parliament on 6 August 2012. Its inclusion in the Romanian government was met with heavy criticism. Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in New York said on Romanian television, this decision was "absolutely outrageous" and "embarrassing for the government and the country." When asked how he justifies the fact that a young politician in Romania could deny the Holocaust, Zuroff said: "This comes from ignorance, probably from racism and anti-Semitism, and perhaps also from ultra-nationalism. "

Şova is one of the closest confidants of approximately equal old Victor Ponta. He complained that his remarks were " distorted " and been torn " out of context ", he had never had the intention to deny the Holocaust in Romania. He led the negative international reaction back to misunderstandings and conceded only one that errors in communication it could be undermined.

Since 2006, in Romania a law in place that punishes the denial of the Holocaust with up to five years in prison.