Mihai Balan

Mihai Balan (born 15 February 1954) is a Moldovan diplomat. He was the ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Israel in January–October 2012, and prior to this was ambassador of Moldova to Greece and Cyprus (2010 – 2011). Bălan was the Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Moldova (December 15, 2009 - August 2010).

Early life and education

Mihai Balan was born on 15 February 1954 in the village Trebujeni, Orhei district, Moldavian SSR of the Soviet Union. In 1972–1974, carried out the compulsory military service. In 1974–1979, he studied at the Moldova State University, Faculty of Philology (Romanian language and literature, Journalism specialty).

Career From 1979 to 1980, he was the deputy chairperson of the Trade Union Committee of the Moldova State University, then, in 1980-1984 he was the chairperson of the trade union committee. In the same years (1980-1984), he was a lecturer at the journalism faculty of the Moldova State University in Chișinău. Between 1984 and 1990, he was a councilor and head of division within the Party (in Chișinău).

From 1990 to 1994, he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova: 1990-1992 - Head of the Division at the Financial and Administrative Directorate, 1992-1993 - Deputy Head of the Consular Department, 1993-1994 - Head of the Consular Department.

In 1992, he held the diplomatic courses at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, and in 1994, he held diplomatic courses at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. From 1994 to 1995 he worked as a Business Advisor, at the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Israel, and from 1995 to 2001, he was Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova in Israel. In 2001 by 2005, Mihai Bălan returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, being head of the Consular General Directorate. From January to May 2002, he studied at the George Marshal Center for Security Studies, Garmisch, Germany. Between 2006 and 2008, he worked in the private sector. In the period 2010 to 2011, he worked as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova at the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Cyprus, Vlad Lupan replaced him as Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Moldova. On 25 October 2012, by the Decision of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova Nr. 224,

Personal life

Mihai Bălan is married to television star Ludmila Bălan, with whom he has two children: the singer Dan Bălan and television presenter Sanda Bălan. Besides the fact that his mother's native language is Romanian, Mihai Bălan also speaks English and Russian.