Journalist Robert Schwartz, former editor-in-chief of Deutsche Welle, proposed by USR for the management of Public Radio

Journalist Robert Schwartz, who headed Deutsche Welle's Romanian-language branch for 20 years, is the USR's nomination for the position of director of the Romanian Broadcasting Society. The appointment rests with the USR according to a decision in the coalition, and on Tuesday the vote will take place in the Parliament.

USR announced on Sunday evening that the National Bureau of the party decided, by vote, the nominations for the Boards of Directors of the Romanian Television Society (SRTv) and the Romanian Broadcasting Society (SRR), as well as for the position of director of SRR.

Who is Robert Schwartz?

The journalist Robert Schwartz, with over 30 years of experience at Deutsche Welle, where he managed the Romanian language newsroom between 2000-2020, was nominated for the position of Public Radio director.

In 2012, he received the Order of Cultural Merit in the rank of Commander for his contribution to Romanian-German relations, according to the biography sent by USR.

Born in 1956 in Sibiu, he graduated in German Studies at the University of Bucharest with the highest grade and collaborated since his student days with the German newsrooms of the Romanian Radio Television. He worked as a teacher and in 1990 became the first elected director of the German High School in Bucharest after the Revolution.

Based in Germany since 1991, he joined Deutsche Welle in 1992, holding various positions up to the director of the Romanian language department. Between 2020 and 2023, he coordinated the DW project “Sinti and Roma in Europe”, and after his retirement in 2023 he continues to work as an independent journalist.

He is a member of important academic and cultural organizations, and in 2023 he was elected president of the German-Romanian Society in Berlin.

Currently, the head of Public Radio is Răzvan Dincă, who started his mandate in November 2021.

USR proposals for members of the CA in TVR and Radio

As a member of the Board of Directors of the Romanian Broadcasting Society, USR proposes Alexandra Coliban.

About Alexandra Coliban, USR says that she is a translator by profession, “being rewarded with numerous national awards and the appreciation of readers”. She is a member of the Bucharest Branch of the Romanian Writers' Union.

“To avoid any kind of innuendo: there is no relationship between Alexandra Coliban and USR MP Allen Coliban, it's a simple coincidence of names,” says USR.

For the position of member of the Board of Directors of the Romanian Television Society, USR proposes Catrinel Trofin, specialist in international relations, journalism and strategic communication, with a career spanning over three decades in diplomatic institutions, international mass media (Euronews, RFI) and public administration. He has studies in geography, French and international relations and is fluent in French, with advanced knowledge of Spanish and English.

“By proposing personalities with a solid professional profile, USR conveys the commitment to support an independent, credible management oriented towards the modernization of public radio and television services, as well as towards strengthening their democratic role in society”, says USR.