Petru Filip
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Petru Filip (born 23 January 1955 in Slobozia) is the current mayor of the municipality of Oradea (1992-1996, 2000-present), the capital of Bihor county, Romania. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Married to Dr. Valeria Filip, Petru Filip is the father of Roxana (born 1980).
He is an engineer, teaches at the University of Oradea and has been an Expert of the Urban Institute in Washington for several years.
Elected as leader of the Bihor county branch of the Democratic Party in 1998, he became vice-president of the same party in 2005.
Considered an expert in Public Administration, he is seen as one of the most important figures in the second line of the Democratic Party. To the landmarks of his political career belong holding the mayor chair of one of the largest Romanian municipalities as member of the opposition, during the 2000-2004 PSD (PDSR) government, as well as a spectacular comeback in 2000 after having been ousted as mayor in the 1996 elections.
Currently he is serving his third term, presumably also his last, since rumors have it that his political projects may be related to a future career in European politics, as Romania is expected to join the EU in January 2007, and his current responsibilities within the Democratic Party include activities in connection to this party's ambitions of becoming a full member of the European People's Party.