Vasile Tarlev

Vasile Tarlev (born 6 October 1963) is a Moldovan politician.

Background and earlier life
He studied engineering at the Technical University of Moldova and became a member of assorted economic councils. After 2001 Moldovan parliamentary election, He was appointed Prime Minister on April 19, 2001. This is the first time since 1990 that the Communists won a parliamentary election.

Tarlev is ethnically a Bessarabian Bulgarian and was born in Bașcalia, Basarabeasca district.

Prime Minister of Moldova
Tarlev served as Prime Minister of Moldova from 2001 until 2008, until 2017 he was the only prime minister to win two consecutive terms.

He resigned on March 19, 2008 in an unexpected move, saying that he wanted to make way for "new people." Parliament approved his resignation on March 20, and President Vladimir Voronin proposed Zinaida Greceanîi as his successor; she was approved by Moldovan Parliament on 31 March 2008.