Matei-Agathon Dan

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Matei-Agathon Dan (17 September 1949 – 20 July 2023) was a Romanian economist and politician. He belonged to the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and served as a deputy for Bacău County from 1992 to 2004. He was Tourism Minister in two cabinets: first from 1992 to 1996 under Nicolae Văcăroiu, and again from 2000 to 2003 under Adrian Năstase. After 2003 the tourism portfolio moved to Miron Mitrea.

Dan was born in Bucharest and studied Finance and Accounting at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, graduating in 1971. Before the 1989 revolution he worked as economic director at an institute for non-ferrous and rare metals. After the revolution he helped found the PDSR (later PSD) and served on its National Council. In 1991–92 he was sub-secretary of state, handling government relations with unions and management. He also received a macroeconomics scholarship in Japan in 1991.

During his first term as Tourism Minister he was vice president of the World Tourism Organization’s general assembly. He also sat on the Foreign Policy Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and supported the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

In his 2000–2003 tenure he pushed ideas like a Disneyland-style Dracula Park, which was never built. He worked on promoting skiing in the Carpathians, Danube cruises, Romanian wine, countryside vacations and Bukovina.

In January 2009 Dan left the PSD to become secretary general and president of the Employer Confederation of Romanian Industry. He was married to Otilia since 1971 and had one son, Tudor. Dan died in July 2023 at age 73.