Ex NATO commander and White House candidate, former US General Wesley Clark has become an adviser to Romania's PM Victor Ponta after a visit to Vienna. Speaking to TV channel Antenna 3 about his new star adviser today ( July 6 ) Ponta said, “It is a big opportunity; General Clark is a great economist, involved at the highest level in economic strategy, a man that anyone would want and a chance no prime minister would ever miss. I promised him that we will solve the political crisis fast and still have an independent justice system.”

The general will be an unpaid honorary adviser and will not participate in the government meetings. “I think I can attract investments and the economy of Romania will grow. We know that there are hydrocarbon reserves; there are water resources that can produce energy. I believe that Romania can become a major energy exporter,” said General Clark.

Currently Clark is on the board of directors at BNK Petroleum, an oil company of which George Soros acquired a 20 percent stake through his investment fund Quantum Partners LP. While serving as a NATO commander during the conflict in Kosovo, Clark hit the headlines when the commander of the British forces disobeyed his order to open fire on Russian forces massed in front of Pristina. “I am not going to start World War III,” said the British commander. Wesley Clark was removed from the NATO command before the end of his mandate.

Ioana Toader, Ioana.toader@romania-insider.com