The Presidential Administration sent, on Monday, that there is no request for the assignment of a protocol apartment after the termination of the mandate of President Klaus Iohannis, in the conditions of the discussions about the development of a space for which the state would spend several million euros.
Recorder: RA APPS would invest 7 million euros in the preparation of a protocol residence PHOTO Archive
“There is no request from the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, or the Presidential Administration for the allocation of a protocol residence and a space for the organization of the work cabinet, both with the destination of residence, after the termination of the mandate of the President of Romania, in accordance with the provisions Law no. 406/2001 regarding the granting of certain rights to persons who held the position of head of the Romanian state, with subsequent amendments and additions“, the Presidential Administration sent, according to Agerpres.
According to a Recorder investigation, the Autonomous Directorate of the State Protocol Heritage Administration (RA APPS) would invest approximately 7 million euros, public money, to renovate and fit out a former party headquarters in the Capital into a residence for a single family, according to the building permit . The 1,200 sqm villa is located on Aviatorilor Boulevard in Bucharest and in the past was the seat of PNL and ALDE.
Who can benefit from work housing
According to art. 58 of Law 114/1996, updated in 2024, the President of Romania, the President of the Senate, the President of the Chamber of Deputies and the Prime Minister each benefit from a protocol residence as their official residence.
Also, art 59 provides that, under the conditions of the law, people who perform the following public functions can benefit from protocol housing, upon request, with the payment of the rent provided for by law: vice-presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, ministers of state, ministers and their assimilations, as well as the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, the president of the Constitutional Court, the president of the Court of Accounts, the president of the Legislative Council and the people's advocate, during the exercise of their office or mandate.
According to the Recorder, the fact that the architectural plans provide for the construction of a covered staircase to ensure access from the yard to a work office would be one of the indications that show that the villa would be ready for Klaus Iohannis, who at the end of his term, will be forced to leave Villa Lac III, where he has been living since 2015.
According to art. 2 of Law 406 of July 10, 2001, persons who have held the position of head of the Romanian state benefit for the duration of their lives from the right to free use of a protocol home and a space for the organization of the work cabinet, framed with an advisor position and a secretary position, both assigned with the destination of residence.
Prime Minister: We'll see who she's ready for
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday that he will ask the General Secretariat of the Government for information on the costs of renovating the RA-APPS villa in Aviatorilor Boulevard, stating that he does not know if the building is ready for President Klaus Iohannis, after the end of his mandate, or for another dignitary or for rent.
“I don't know if the expenses are 7 million, I also learned these amounts from the press. It is a RA-APPS villa, it is neither the first nor the last where investments are made, they were resignations from certain political parties. With certainty, today, I, Marcel Ciolacu, cannot answer you whether it is ready for the president or not or for other dignitaries, we will see. The General Secretariat is subordinate to the RA-APPS, which makes the tender and… it depends on how many square meters it has, if it is over 10,000 square meters, I don't know how gigantic the investment is. I also had the discussion with Vila Lac 1 and I told you that from my point of view it is not a priority for the Government of Romania at this moment“, said Marcel Ciolacu, according to Agerpres.
The Prime Minister emphasized that he cannot prohibit RA-APPS or the General Secretariat from creating a multi-year investment plan and recalled that another RA-APPS villa renovated to be lived in by former president Traian Băsescu was, in the end, rented to an embassy .
