Salameh’s death

The end of Nawaf Salameh resembles that of Dan Petrescu and Dan Adamescu. People returned to the country after Ceausescu’s fall, they enriched spectacularly and collapsed as unexpected.

Unlike them, Salameh was a Syrian from Valea Christians (Antioch), who came to studies in Romania (Faculty of Medicine) and with a residency in Greece, from where Făbruța Alexandrion (so-called Greek cognac, younger brother to Metaxa). Nawaf Salameh was among the few alcohol producers who survived the period in which Vodcă and Brandy were produced on all corners and worse stores. Only the Zetea family in Maramureș, protected by the PSD, and Nawaf Salameh survived, I do not know who, but based on an intelligence and a reaction speed as I was rarely given.

In the summer of 2014, in a discussion with him about one and the other, unexpectedly, Nawaf Salameh asked me if I could help him get involved in commemorating 300 years since Constantin Brâncoveanu’s death. « To do what? » I asked.

He also wanted to attend the festive meeting of the Romanian Academy and hold a conference on the economic valences of the name Brîncoveanu. I knew he had the Branda brand on the market and that he was trying to promote various ways. He was always comparing with the Napoleon and Louis XIII cognacs. I looked at him long and imagined what reaction the staff of the Romanian Academy could have at such a proposal. Reproduce with approximation from memory my answer:

« Do you think that academics would look with sympathy the lesson of an alcohol producer on account of a tragic figures in the history of Romania? They will look at you as in the 16 way and will refuse your offer before they can argue the importance of the economic impact. Some will even laugh at your ears! » « Serious? », he asked? « Almost certain« I replied.

He deflected himself as a child who cracks the blue ball. Nawaf had a special connection with Romania. From the student, from the help of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the connections with his church in Antioch, he always spoke about a printed donated by Constantin Brâncoveanu, the persecution of the Christians in the area of ​​his childhood. When I was talking, he had already paid the reissue of the Bible in Bucharest and many more.

In that left-handed conversation void, an idea came to me.

-What would be to conceive the Brîncoveanu awards and give the academics with important work and to the great artists and writers who have marked the public life of a year. To be a recognition of their work, their value, their sacrifice. And we take care to award them only to those who deserve it. And the prize to be a financial contribution to the next work, be it film, novel, historical research, theater performance. To stay something in the culture in that award.

He looked at me long, curious, illuminated.

-Can it?

-Maybe! And we call only important personalities and valuable people in the jury. And we let them judge themselves, sign the decision and take their proposals. We will keep them not to put their tail and the prizes to be clean and accurate. And then we promote them on all channels.

-Can you be?

-Maybe until next week I bring you the project for their regulations, for a jury, for a premiere gala and for promotion.

-And when do we do this?

-Next week, you have the project. We let it go until the end of the year.

It was Thursday. On Friday I went to Orăștie and all the way I practiced the details of this project with my former high school colleague Nicu Sîrghie. We were driving in a row and competing in details about the organization. I imagined the unfolding in the car. I worked all the Wekendul and Monday I sent the project to the « Constantin Brâncoveanu prizes ».

Nawaf Salameh was excited. He wanted a 10 -year contract. On October 27, 2014, I had the first form of the contract between Alexandrion Group and Casa Serafim, the editor of the daily. I accepted and signed only for 5 years, and then I started knocking on the door of academics and other personalities in Romania. We were looking for people for a jury with weight, whose decisions would be credible and correct. And, in December, we carried out the first edition right in the Mogoșoaia Palace, the founding of Constantin Brâncoveanu.

It was an impact event, a sign that the public was waiting for a recognition of values ​​in various fields. Nawaf was happy. He wanted more. And abroad, among the Romanians who left across the borders. This is how I organized the Brâncoveanu Awards Gala, London, Paris, Munich, New York and Cyprus, on the Romanian Athenaeum or in the Royal Palace and in the spaces of the Mogoșoaia Museum Complex.

At one point, I asked him why Dr. Nawaf Salameh signs, being just a doctor. Then he told me he had a doctorate in military sciences. I crossed. I understood that I knew only some exciting fragments from the biography of a complex character. The scandal with plagias intensifies. I recommended that I stop signing the title of doctor. In response, it brought me the copy of a book on which the figure was one of the two authors. It was something with his doctoral thesis. I ironized it and proposed to forget the doctorate because it risks a scandal of proportions. At a simple browse, the book is hard to find somewhere it looked suspicious, not to mention dubious. Only later, someone sent me a passage from a clarification in the Wikipedia notes. I reproduce it:

« In 2005, he attended the courses of the National Defense College, which he graduated in the 14th series. Between 2010 and 2013, he carries out specific activities of doctoral studies and, in 2013, obtains the title of doctor in military sciences and information within the National University of Defense Carol 1. »

Apart from his passion for history, his almost mystical and profound connection with the Tragedy of Brâncovenilor, Nawaf dreamed of all kinds of economic megaprocts, with all kinds of cereals and fruits, with Romanian Malt Malt production, with exports to Europe and the world, including Japan and Brazil. They peaked, they came out. In a few anide when I helped to organize the launch event of single Malt production, I learned about Alexandrion exports to Europe, South America and Japan.

His ambition was to develop something in the US. Dreamed of a whiskey factory. Bought a land and launched into an investment. At one point, he was prevented by a provision of the prohibition and Al Capone. I suppose then he approached the Romanian ambassador to Washington, George Maior, the former director of the SRI and great snore in the Romanian politics, along with Florian Coldea and Victor Ponta. He hoped to get a derogation from a dusty law, but still valid in the US. In addition, our contract for the 5 years was also concluded. The world is changing. I suppose that this connection also led to the appointment of the progressive psychologist created on the net, the invented and ultra -academic ultracytic Daniel David at the management of the jury for awarding the « Constantin Brâncoveanu » prizes. It was the first big stupid sign for what was coming.

Nawaf Salameh leaves the stage and leaves behind an important economic development and a cultural project that has marked a decade of Romanian cultural life.

The time of a point has come.