▁to ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁National ▁Party ▁( PN R ) ▁and ▁was ▁active ▁as ▁an ▁opinion ▁journalist . ▁After ▁the ▁P NR ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Pe as ants ' ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁National ▁Pe as ants ' ▁Party ▁( PN Ț ), ▁he ▁became ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁organization . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁when ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁Old ▁Kingdom ▁entered ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁he ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁Army ▁and ▁helped ▁organ ize ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁Vol unte er ▁Corps ▁in ▁Russia . ▁He ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁committee ▁of ▁Roman ian ▁em igr ants ▁from ▁Austria - H ung ary , ▁set ▁up ▁at ▁Od essa ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁That ▁December , ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁assembly ▁at ▁Al ba ▁I ul ia ▁that ▁approved ▁the ▁union ▁of ▁Trans ylvan ia ▁with ▁Roman ia . ▁Pop ov ici ▁was ▁subsequently ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁temporary ▁r uling ▁authority ▁in ▁the ▁province , ▁the ▁Direct ing ▁Council . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Assembly ▁of ▁Deput ies , ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁parliament ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁Roman ia . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁following ▁de cade , ▁he ▁held ▁two ▁minister ial ▁posts : ▁Public ▁Works ▁( Dec ember ▁ 1 9 1 9 - M arch ▁ 1 9 2 0 ) ▁and ▁Fin ance ▁( J anu ary ▁ 1 9 2 7 ,