Seven residents of Satu Mare are running for the seat of mayor of the municipality of Satu Mare. Favorite in the electoral race is the incumbent mayor, Kereskényi Gábor, who was also the first to submit candidacies. His main opponent from four years ago, Radu Panait, also wants the seat of mayor again. In addition, the former prefect of the county Radu Roca, as well as the current vice mayor Adelin Ghiarfaș, also entered the competition. By far, the richest candidate remains Radu Panait. The head of USR Satu Mare made his fortune before entering politics by working in the IT&C field.
Seven residents of Satu Mare have launched themselves in the electoral competition for the City Hall of Satu Mare. Among them the mayor in office, his main opponent from the elections four years ago, Radu Panait, the former prefect of the county Radu Roca and even the current vice mayor Adelin Ghiarfaș.
Seven for Satu Mare
Seven politicians will fight until June 9 for the votes of Satu Mare residents. The incumbent mayor, Kereskényi Gábor, was the first to submit his candidacy and is considered the favorite in the electoral competition.
The incumbent vice mayor, Adelin Ghiarfaș, wants the job of his boss and is supported in the electoral competition by those from Forța Dreptei.
The former prefect of Satu Mare county, Radu Roca, is also on the list of candidates. The social democratic leader announced his intention to run for mayor at the beginning of the year.
The main counter-candidate of the incumbent mayor, four years ago, was deputy Radu Panait. Supported by USR and PMP, Panait also submitted his candidacy for the Satu Mare City Hall.
In addition to the main candidates, Vasile Palincaș, from SOS Romania, Ciprian Tișea from AUR, but also the former city manager, Dan Băbuț, supported by the Patriot Party, will fight for the votes of the residents.
Kereskényi Gábor – supported by UDMR
The first to submit his candidacy was the incumbent mayor, Kereskényi Gábor. A lawyer by profession, according to his public CV, the current mayor who wants another term at the head of the city obtained his master’s degree from the University of Debrecen, but also attended the courses of the “Carol I” National Defense University – the National College of Defense and also completed a vocational training program in land planning, town planning and building permits.
He started his professional activity after graduating from high school, as a referent in the UDMR, and then as a secretary in the senatorial office. Then followed positions of legal advisor at the Directorate of Personal Records and Apaserv, so that in 2008 he became deputy mayor from the UDMR, and then in 2012 deputy of Satu Mare, until 2016 when he won his first mandate as mayor of the municipality Satu Mare.
Regarding the declaration of wealth, the incumbent mayor owns intra-village land in Satu Mare county with an area of 4,129 square meters, but also an agricultural land of 7,200 square meters. The mayor also owns 30% of a forest land of almost 84 hectares in Hunedoara, obtained by donation, jointly owned with his wife.
When we look at the buildings, the mayor owns an apartment purchased in 2014, with an area of 108 square meters, but also a holiday home, in the county, with an area of 54 square meters.
Regarding financial assets, in his BRD and OTP accounts, the mayor declared that he has a little over 149,000 lei.
The family’s income last year amounted to the mayor’s allowance, 164,623 lei, the wife’s salary, 119,450 lei, and the children’s allowance.
Adelin Ghiarfaș – the Forța Dreptei proposal
The third candidacy registered for the position of mayor of the municipality of Satu Mare was that of the current vice mayor. Adelin Ghiarfaș is a graduate of the Faculty of Tourism and Commercial Management with a master’s degree in marketing audit and accounting experience from Vasile Goldiș University. He started his professional career as an accountant, and then worked in the banking sector, at BRD, Banca SanPaolo Imi, Prireus Bank and Patria Bank, being also a member of the Board of Directors of Satu Mare Airport.
If we look at the declaration of assets, we see that the current deputy mayor who wants the chair of his boss, owns two urban plots, one in Păulești, of 700 square meters and one in Viile Satu Mare, of 3932 square meters.
In the asset declaration of the current deputy mayor, there are also two residential houses, one in Păulești, of 170 sqm and one in Viile Satu Mare, of 30 sqm, both acquired through sales-purchase contracts, together with his wife.
The vice-mayor also owns an 84 sqm apartment in Satu Mare, purchased in 2004, also through a sales-purchase agreement, as well as a share in a 50 sqm apartment.
The deputy mayor also owns a BMW X5 car purchased in 2016.
In terms of financial assets, as of 2019, the incumbent vice mayor has a little over 6,500 euros and 9,100 lei in bank accounts.
Instead, the deputy mayor also has debts. We are talking about a loan in euros due in 2039 in the amount of just over 56,000 euros and a loan in lei, due next year, of 9,400 lei.
The family’s income last year was based on the deputy mayor’s allowance, 146,016 lei and the wife’s salary, the children’s allowance and 12,000 lei, rent income.
Radu Roca – PSD proposal
The age dean of the electoral competition is the PSD candidate Radu Roca who had to resign from the position of Prefect of Satu Mare County in order to participate in the race for City Hall. A veterinarian by profession, Roca obtained his master’s degree in Health Management and Social Medicine and studied public management at the National Agency of Public Servants, obtaining a certificate of attestation in Public Order from the College of Defense.
He started his professional activity as a veterinarian, and from 1997 as an employee at the Veterinary Sanitary Directorate, an institution that he led from April to September 2009. From 2012 to 2016 he was the deputy mayor of the municipality of Satu Mare , and then a local councilor, and from March 2018 he was appointed vice-president at the National Agency for Environmental Protection. In 2020 he returned to DSVSA to take over the position of prefect of Satu Mare county in 2022.
According to the declaration of wealth, the former prefect owns three plots of land, of which two are forested, in a 1/2 share, with a total area of 4.80 hectares, both as inheritance, but also an inner-city plot in the municipality of Satu Mare of 1188 sqm, together with the wife.
In terms of buildings, Radu Roca owns two apartments, both in the municipality of Satu Mare, one of 77.60 square meters and another of 89.70 square meters, but also a house with an area of 240 square meters, all together with his wife.
The family owns two cars, both acquired by purchase, a Peugeot and a Volkswagen Golf, from 2003 and 2009, respectively.
Instead, the former prefect also has credits. One of 150,000 euros due in 2032 and another of 60,000 euros due in 2033.
Family income is based on the prefect’s salary, which was 100,738 lei at the time he was appointed prefect of the county, the wife’s income and the child’s allowance.
Radu Panait – USR+PMP Proposal – United Right
Deputy Radu Panait, who is on his second attempt to take over the reins of the municipality of Satu Mare. In his CV, Panait describes himself as an entrepreneur, but also a manager and an artist. Panait graduated from the Aurel Popp Art High School, and then attended the Gheorghe Dima Music Academy.
After graduating from college, Panait opened his own IT firm, which operates mainly in the field of online advertising revenue optimization, with clients not only from the country, but also from the USA and Great Britain.
If we look at the declaration of assets, we see that in 2015, Radu Panait inherited two inner-city plots in the town of Potău, with a total area of 4450 sqm. The current deputy also owns half of an inner-city land in Satu Mare, with an area of 1625 square meters, and in 2009 he bought an inner-city land of 460 square meters also in the municipality of Satu Mare. It also owns, from 2021, 10% of a 71 square meter plot of land in Satu Mare.
The deputy owns two residential houses in the municipality of Satu Mare, of 442 square meters, as a reconstruction of a property right, but also a house of 230 square meters, also in the municipality of Satu Mare, purchased in 2015. Panait also owns a house of 120 sqm apartment, in Potău, acquired as an inheritance.
Panait also owns a BMW purchased in 2012, his wealth declaration also shows.
Among his hobbies, MP Panait listed playing the guitar, and according to his wealth declaration, he owns a collection of guitars and wooden instruments valued at 10,000 euros.
Regarding financial assets, the head of the USR declared a deposit in euros of 266,583 euros and two deposits in lei, one from 2009 and another from 2023, a total value of 244,541 lei. Regarding investment funds, including private pensions, the deputy declared the amount of 10,174 lei in the accounts.
When it comes to his hobbies, Panait didn’t just limit himself to playing the guitar, he also likes to play the stock market, so it’s no wonder that his wealth statement is slightly longer than the other candidates. Owns shares or shares in commercial companies valued at more than 700,000 lei and 650,000 dollars, at the time of completing the income statement. The MP’s portfolio also includes shares in some of the world’s best-known tech companies.
The family’s income was based on the deputy’s allowance, 145,773 lei, and income from investments, which brought him just over 1,000,000 lei.
Tags: Satu Mare candidates fortunes favorites electoral race
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