Miron Cozma

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Miron Cozma (born August 25, 1954 in Derna, Bihor) is a Romanian miner union leader. His claim to fame was leading the miners of the Jiu Valley during the 1991 riots (the Mineriad) which overthrew the reformist Petre Roman government.

Miron Cozma

In January 1999 Cozma led another series of miner protests, caused by the intention of Radu Vasile's government 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. The miners clashed with the police forces at Costeşti, Vâlcea; about 70 miners and 100 policemen were wounded and one miner died. Soon after, Prime Minister Radu Vasile held talks with Cozma at Cozia, and Cozma agreed to end the march and disband the miners.

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. Cozma and his lieutenants were captured by police; Cozma himself was taken to the Rahova prison to serve his term.

Cozma is a very controversial character; apart from the mineriads, he has been involved in several acts of hooliganism and at least one road accident, but no charges were pressed against him. He is known to be a protégé of former President Ion Iliescu. He was pardoned by Iliescu on December 15, 2004, only a few days before his final term as President ended, but this pardon was revoked on December 16. Incoming president Traian Basescu said that this cancellation of the pardon was "a success of the civil society, European democracies and the United States, which protested vehemently."

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Categories: 1954 births | Romanian union leaders