Nicolae Timofti
President of Moldova
Nicolae Timofti (born 22 December 1948) is a Moldovan politician and jurist who was the head of Moldova's Supreme Magistrate Council. He was elected president by parliament on March 16, 2012.
Nicolae Timofti was born to Elena (born 1927) and Vasile Timofti in Ciutulesti, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union,and has four siblings. At the beginning of 1949, his family moved to Floresti. On July 6, 1949, his paternal grandfather Tudor Timofti was deported by Soviet authorities to the Amur region, where he died in 1953.
Timofti is married to the lawyer Margareta Timofti and they have three sons: Alexei (born. 1977) works as a lawyer for the World Bank in Washington, Nicu (born 1980) is a sports journalist in Chişinău, and Ștefan (born 1989) studies economics in Chişinău.
Timofti graduated from the law school of Moldova State University in 1972 and spent two years in the Soviet Army before beginning his career as a judge in 1976. "He is a person who was with us when we started reforms in the 1990s," Mihai Ghimpu said.In 2005, Timofti was appointed to the Higher Judicial Chamber and, in 2011, he was named chairman of the Supreme Council of Magistrates.
"The European orientation of Moldova must be a priority. This has been the policy of Moldova in recent years and this is the policy that must continue" he said at his election by parliament. "I am convinced that Moldova has no other future than a European future," Timofti said. "He is a progressive man, and this means a lot for the Republic of Moldova." Mihai Ghimpu said.
His election by parliament on March 16, 2012 is going to be validated by the Constitutional Court of Moldova. According to Article 80 of the constitution: "The President of Moldova takes office on the oath-taking day and his term has a duration of 4 years." Addressing reporters after the Constitutional Court of Moldova confirmed him as head of state on March 19, Timofti said that his inauguration was likely to take place on March 23.