“I was the best communist! Did I think the Revolution was coming?!”

The financier of FC Botoșani is, from 2024, the president of the Botoșani County Council, as well as the president of PNL Botoșani. During the time of Nicolae Ceaușescu, however, the businessman claims that he had to join the Romanian Communist Party in order to study at the university.

Valeriu Iftime, on the GSP podcast “2 la 1”: “Who says, at my age, that he went to college and didn't want to be a party member…”

The boss from FC Botoșani states, at the same time, that he particularly hates the PCR values.

“I studied very well at school. I was the best UTC-ist, the best communist, the best businessman, the best…

They made me a party member in my first year of college, when it was very difficult to get into college. I needed a good average, a good background, and it was a sensational joy for me to be there, next to my teachers. We had some teachers who electrified me only when I approached them. Because at the party meetings we were next to each other.

But it was a boring party, you can't tell what it was! We all hate the Communist Party!

Valeriu Iftime, on the GSP podcast “2 to 1”, photo: Cristi Preda (GSP.ro)

But to sit next to my teacher, I'm a fool, to listen to one of his … they made all kinds of jokes about the party. There was one barker there, the boss, but the others in the room…

I was a party member for 3 years. Who says, at my age, that he went to college and didn't want to be a party member… I think he's one of me. It was possible, but no one would take you. Sir, it was kind of standard. At the age of 20, I thought that Coposu would ever come, that Rațiu would come to make a revolution?!”, declares Iftime.

Valeriu Iftime: “During the Revolution, when everyone was selling shirts in Poland, I was learning”

“I was listening to Free Europe, I was hanging out with my dad somewhere and I was listening. I was hoping something would happen, but I never really believed it.

I, during the Revolution, when everyone was selling shirts in Poland, I was learning. My wife used to tell me: «You are crazy! You have two children, go and sell something!”. “Well, I'm not going anywhere, because Romania won't live on shirt sales. There is technology, we make factories».

I was right. That's how I thought back then, and I've always had the feeling that the things I took really seriously – science, engineering – paid off,” Iftime added.

I took my life very seriously, and football is the joy of my life, but it was not a project. Only God does not feed you with projects. It gives you some momentary inspirations

– Valeriu Iftime, on the GSP podcast “2 to 1”

Valeriu Iftime on how he made his fortune:

• Gentlemen, we work in the energy field. My companies are among the best in the field in Romania. Point. I was in 7th place, the others disappeared: bankruptcy, tricks, problems. I work in irrigation, water and sewerage, all state investment. All the private ones are there too, but the values ​​are smaller. In IT we are half-half, state-private. Don't think that since I've been in politics they haven't been looking for me everywhere. They found nothing

• You can tell they checked me every second. I make money from works with European funds. At the moment I have a turnover of 3-4-500 million euros, all European money. If I didn't take them, someone else would. What does Umbrărescu do for money? With private? Take all the construction companies in Romania and see what they work with. Apart from real estate developers, the rest is money from the state: roads, bridges, sewers, water. This year there are approximately 10 billion euros of public money, European funds. Who takes them? For infrastructure, roads, buildings, schools, retrofits, photovoltaic panels. They are all public money

• (If you were to sell everything and go to Hawaii, how much would you leave with?) It's a trap question, I don't know, many hundreds of millions of euros

• But let me tell you something. I started with SCADA, a remote automation system. I am an electronic engineer. I was more interested in the profession than the money. The money came later

• When I started SCADA at the heating system in Bucharest, Halaicu was the mayor. I came from Botoșani, I was 30-32 years old. “Where are you from? From Botoșani? What is this guy from Botoșani doing?!”. That's how I started. I worked in Slobozia, Timișoara, Cluj. I went to conferences, I was a lecturer, I taught about energy transition. I knew many things and I did them with pleasure. Then things came together

• I went to Iasi and said that we are from IRE Botoșani and we make optical fiber. It was crazy back then. In '88-'89 we brought about 40 engineers. I wanted to make a technological revolution. We networked computers before '89, on fiber optic, when it was almost impossible

FULL VIDEO | GSP podcast “2 to 1” with Valeriu Iftime:

About Valeriu Iftime:

• the president of the FC Botoșani Board of Directors since 2005;
• he has been in the Super League for 13 years with the team from the north of the country;
• participated twice in the League 1 play-off, also twice in the Europa League preliminaries;
• sold footballers for over 10 million euros;
• is the president of the ELSACO group, which deals with the following fields: energy, water and sewage, automation and SCADA, the sale of measurement and control equipment, energy efficiency solutions, IT&C solutions, residential smart metering;
• from 2024 he is the president of the Botoșani County Council, as well as the president of the PNL Botoșani.