
Miron Cozma (born August 25, 1954) is a former Romanian labor-union organizer and politician, and leader of Romania's
Jiu Valley coal miners' union. He is best known for his leading the miners of the
Jiu Valley
The Jiu Valley ( , ) is a region in southwestern Transylvania, Romania, in Hunedoara county, situated in a valley of the Jiu River between the Retezat Mountains and the Parâng Mountains. The region was heavily industrialised and the main activity ...
during the
September 1991 Mineriad
September 1991 Mineriad was a political action and physical confrontation between the miners of the Jiu Valley and the Romanian authorities, that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Petre Roman's government. Led by Miron Cozma, president of t ...
which overthrew the reformist
Petre Roman
Petre Roman (; born 22 July 1946) is a Romanian engineer and politician who was Prime Minister of Romania from 1989 to 1991, when his Third Roman cabinet, government was overthrown by the Mineriad, intervention of the miners led by Miron Cozma ...
government. Cozma was a controversial character in the 1990s, both within and outside of Jiu Valley.
In 2011, he re-entered in politics and founded
Worker's Social Democratic Party, after he was vicepresident of the
Greater Romania Party
The Greater Romania Party (, PRM) is a Romanian far-right political party. Founded in May 1991 by Eugen Barbu and Corneliu Vadim Tudor, it was led by the latter from that point until his death in September 2015. The party is sometimes referred ...
during the 1990s.
Early life
Born in
Derna, Bihor
Derna () is a commune in northwestern Bihor County, Crișana, Romania, 50 km from the county seat, Oradea and 35 km from Marghita. It borders the communes of Popești, Chișlaz, Brusturi and Spinuș. It is composed of five villages: ...
, Miron Cozma studied to become an
electromechanical
Electromechanics combine processes and procedures drawn from electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Electromechanics focus on the interaction of electrical and mechanical systems as a whole and how the two systems interact with each ...
assistant engineer.
After graduation, he began working as a
trainee
A trainee is commonly known as an individual taking part in a trainee program within an organization after having graduated from technical and higher courses.
A trainee is an official employee of the firm that is being trained to the job they we ...
at the
Bărbăteni Mine, while living in
Lupeni
Lupeni (; German: ''Schylwolfsbach'', Hungarian: ''Lupény'') is a mining city in the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara County, Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania. It is one of the oldest and largest cities in the Jiu Valley. It is located ...
. He was also the DJ of the town's
disco
Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
.
In 1977, he became an informant for the
Securitate
The Department of State Security (), commonly known as the Securitate (, ), was the secret police agency of the Socialist Republic of Romania. It was founded on 30 August 1948 from the '' Siguranța'' with help and direction from the Soviet MG ...
, using the
code name
A code name, codename, call sign, or cryptonym is a code word or name used, sometimes clandestinely, to refer to another name, word, project, or person. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage. They may also be used in ...
"Paul", sending memos about co-workers until 1983.
Trade union leadership
In 1990, Cozma was working at the
Lonea Coal Mine, being involved in the
January 1990 Mineriad, when he was one of the 16 miners who were involved in talks with President Iliescu and the prime minister. On 21–24 March 1990, the
League of Miners Unions of the Jiu Valley elected Cozma as its leader.
In 1991, Cozma's companies gained a monopoly in food retail in the mines of the Jiu Valley, which gave him substantial profits and influence.
On 19 June 1991, Cozma ran over and killed a 31-year-old woman, Roza Violeta Drăghici, in the village of Paroșeni,
Vulcan, Hunedoara
Vulcan (; formerly ''Jiu-Vaidei-Vulcan''; , ''Zsilyvajdejvulkán'' (''Zsily-Vajdej-Vulkán''); ) is a city in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. With a population of 19,772 as of 2021, it is the second-largest city in the Jiu Valley. It adm ...
, doing an irregular
overtaking
Overtaking or passing is the act of one vehicle going past another slower moving vehicle, travelling in the same direction, on a road. The lane used for overtaking another vehicle is often a passing lane farther from the road shoulder, which ...
.
[Rus, p. 381] He was convicted of manslaughter and given a 2-years
suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a sentence on conviction for a criminal offence, the serving of which the court orders to be deferred in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation. If the defendant does not break the law during that ...
; the lenient sentence may have been caused by the close relationship of Cozma with the ruling
National Salvation Front.
1999 Mineriads and imprisonment
In January 1999, Cozma led
another series of miner protests, sparked by the
Radu Vasile
Radu Vasile (; 10 October 1942 – 3 July 2013) was a Romanian politician, historian, academic/professor, and poet.
Originally a member of the Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party (PNȚ-CD), Vasile served as the Prime Minister of Romani ...
government's intention to close down several money-losing mines in the Jiu Valley region. Intending to put pressure on the government, Cozma and his miners started marching towards
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
. The mineriad was openly supported by the
Greater Romania Party
The Greater Romania Party (, PRM) is a Romanian far-right political party. Founded in May 1991 by Eugen Barbu and Corneliu Vadim Tudor, it was led by the latter from that point until his death in September 2015. The party is sometimes referred ...
(PRM) and by the president of this party,
Corneliu Vadim Tudor
Corneliu Vadim Tudor (; 28 November 1949 – 14 September 2015), also colloquially known as "Tribunul", was a poet, writer, and journalist who was the leader of the Greater Romania Party () and a Member of the European Parliament. He was a Rom ...
, who invited the miners to occupy the Romanian Parliament and to topple the government. Miron Cozma, the leader of the miners, was also vice-president of the PRM, being in constant contact with the PRM leadership in Bucharest, which was preparing the arrival of miners in the Romanian capital. The miners clashed with the
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (). In France and so ...
at
Costeşti,
Vâlcea County
Vâlcea County (also spelt ''Vîlcea''; ) is a county (județ) that lies in south-central Romania. Located in the Historical regions of Romania, historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia (which are separated by the Olt (river), Olt River), it i ...
; about 70 miners and 100 gendarmes were wounded and one miner died. Soon after, Prime Minister Radu Vasile held talks with Cozma at the
Cozia Monastery
Cozia Monastery (Romanian language, Romanian: ''Mănăstirea Cozia'') is one of the most important medieval monastic complexes in Romania, located on the right bank of the Olt (river), Olt River near the town of Călimănești in Vâlcea County. Fo ...
, and Cozma agreed to end the protest and disband the miner units.
At the beginning of February of the same year, however, Cozma was sentenced by the
Supreme Court of Justice to 18 years in prison for his involvement in the 1991 mineriad. This quickly prompted
a new march of the miners towards Bucharest. This time, special forces intervened and dispersed the miners at
Stoeneşti,
Olt County
Olt County () is a county (județ) of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in the Historical regions of Romania, historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia (the regions are separated by the Olt River, Olt river). The capital city is Slatina, Roma ...
. Cozma and his lieutenants were captured by the
police
The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
; Cozma himself was taken to the
Rahova
Rahova is a neighbourhood of southwest Bucharest, Romania, situated in Sector 5, west of Dâmbovița River. It is named after the Bulgarian town ''Rahovo'' (today Oryahovo), site of a battle in the Romanian War of Independence.
The neighborho ...
prison to serve his term.
He was
pardon
A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...
ed by Romanian President
Ion Iliescu
Ion Iliescu (; born 3 March 1930) is a Romanian politician and engineer who served as the second president of Romania from 1989 until 1996 and from 2000 until 2004. Between 1996 and 2000 and also from 2004 to 2008, the year in which he retired, ...
on December 15, 2004, only a few days before the end of the latter's final term in office. However, Iliescu revoked the pardon on December 16, stating that "it was a mistake". Yet Cozma was released in June 2005, when the cancellation of his pardon was ruled illegal by the
Bucharest Court of Appeal
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
. In September 2005, he was sentenced by the
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
n
Supreme Court
In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
to a 10-year term for the January 1999 Mineriad. His sentences overlapped, so as of June 2006 he still had to serve a 13-month
concurrent sentence
In criminal law, a sentence is the punishment for a crime ordered by a trial court after conviction in a criminal procedure, normally at the conclusion of a trial. A sentence may consist of imprisonment, a fine, or other sanctions. Sentences for ...
in prison.
On June 2, 2006, Miron Cozma's request to be released on
parole
Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...
was denied by the Parole Commission of the
Rahova
Rahova is a neighbourhood of southwest Bucharest, Romania, situated in Sector 5, west of Dâmbovița River. It is named after the Bulgarian town ''Rahovo'' (today Oryahovo), site of a battle in the Romanian War of Independence.
The neighborho ...
Penitentiary. A Bucharest court dismissed his appeal against the decision 2 weeks later.
Cozma could have left the prison 6 months before time as recommended by the Parole Commission on January 3, 2007. Although the decision was upheld by a Bucharest court on January 9, it was overturned on appeal on February 20, 2007.
Miron Cozma was finally released on 2 December 2007, with a restriction on entering Petroşani or Bucharest. Upon leaving Rahova, he flew to Timişoara to meet with his family and friends. He stated in his interviews that certain politicians should have been incarcerated as well, adding "Spiritul lui Miron Cozma nu moare!" ("The soul of Miron Cozma will never die!").
In June 2013, Miron Cozma claimed during an interview
[PSDM.ro]
''Interview with Miron Cozma'' (The Truth About Mineriads)
that the
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
had used live rounds against miners.
Notes
References
*
External links
Jiu Valley PortalHistory, timelines and digital archives of the Jiu Valley Mineriads
Digital video and photo archives of the MineriadsAbout Mineriad - Miron Cozma Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cozma, Miron
1954 births
Living people
People from Bihor County
Mineriads
Romanian trade union leaders
Romanian coal miners