Marcel Vela, picked to head Interior Ministry (bio)

Prime Minister-designate Ludovic Orban announced on 24 October 2019 the composition of the Cabinet he will submit to Parliament vote. Marcel Vela was picked for the Interior Minister office. 

Ion Marcel Vela was born on 2 June 1963, in Armenis, Caras-Severin county, according to senat.ro. 

He graduated the Traian Doda High School in Caransebes. He has higher education studies, polytechnics and legal sciences. 

Founding member of the Caras-Severing branch of the National Liberal Party (PNL) (January 1990) and founding member of the Caras-Severin Civil Alliance Branch (1991), chair of the Cransebes PNL Organisation (1994-2004) and vice-chair of the Caras-Severin PNL branch (1998-2008). 

In 2002, he became a member of the PNL National Representatives' Delegation, in 2005 - member of the Central Bureau of the League of Local Elected Officials, and in January 2008 - chair of the Caras-Severin PNL branch. 

Executive Secretary of the PNL in 2009, within the PNL Congress meeting of 2010 he was elected member of the National Political Bureau (BPN), in 2013 he became executive deputy-chairman and in 2017 he became member in the BPN. 

He was vice-mayor of Caransebes municipality (1992-1996), municipal councilor (1996-2000), prefect of Caras-Severin county (2000-2001), again municipal councilor (2001-2004). From 2004 to 2016, he was mayor of Caransebes (three mandates). 

In December 2016 he was elected Caras-Severin senator on behalf of the PNL. He is secretary of the Senate Standing Bureau and member of the Committee for waters, forests, fisheries and hunting fund and the Committee for education, science, youth and sports. 

In 2000, he was decorated with the National Order of Faithful Service, in rank of Officer by Romania's President Emil Constantinescu; in 2004 he was bestowed upon by Romania's President Ion Iliescu with the "Victory of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989" Order; in 2010, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church awarded him the Order of Stephanus Magnus; In 2015, he was awarded by President of Romania Klaus Iohannis the "Fighter with a decisive role in the December 1989 Revolution" title. He is an honorary citizen of Otelu-Rosu town (2000).