Viorel Oancea (born 8 December 1944 in Brașov, Brașov County, Romania) is a retired Romanian politician and a retired major general in the Romanian Armed Forces.^[1] He was advanced in rank by Presidential decree issued by former President Traian Băsescu on 21 October 2010.^[2]

Romanian Revolution of 1989

Viorel Oancea was the first Army officer to take a stance against the Communist regime during the Romanian Revolution on 22 December 1989.^[3] This act led to his imprisonment under General Ștefan Gușă^{[citation needed]}

In 1992, he was awarded the PL Foundation Freedom Award, shared with Radu Filipescu for his fight against the Romanian regime led by Nicolae Ceaușescu and his human rights advocacy.^[4]

Political career

Viorel Oancea was the first freely elected Mayor of Timișoara, an office he held from 1992 to 1996.^{[citation needed]}

In 1997, he became General Secretary of Ministry of Interior, a position he held until 1998. He then returned to Timisoara, to take up the position of Local Councillor until 2004.^[5] Running for state office, in 2004 he was elected Deputy at the Chamber of Deputies, a role he held until 2008.^[6]

His last political appointment before retiring from public office was Romanian Secretary of State (2009–2012), representing Romania's defense interests on the NATO Council.^[7]