A new public service position for PM Ciolacu’s niece: „specialist in organizational development” at the Romanian Broadcasting Society / Andreea Ciolacu graduated in photography / Since 2020, she also holds the position of advisor at the Romanian Cultural Institute

The most recent declaration of wealth filed by the niece of the current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu shows that, from 2022, she holds another position in a state institution: „specialist in organizational development” at the Romanian Broadcasting Society. Andreea Ciolacu graduated from National University of Theatre and Film Arts, specializing in photography, according to her uncle, PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu. Since 2020, Ioana Andreea Ciolacu has also been an advisor at the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR). She refused to speak to G4Media.ro reporter, and the Broadcasting Society rejected a request sent under the Public Interest Information Law to provide details about her employment at the Radio. Recently, in a discussion with his partners in government, Marcel Ciolacu said that „I don’t want any more debauchery in the state with thousands of hirings and all kinds of cronyism.”

The declaration of assets signed on 16 June 2023 by Ioana Andreea Ciolacu (37 years old) shows that, in 2022, she received 62,777 lei from the Romanian Broadcasting Society as „specialist in organizational development”.

HR job sites describe that such a role involves „managing change in the organisation, closely linked to business strategy; on a case-by-case basis, this may involve interventions relating to organizational culture, talent management, organizational design, individual and organizational capability development, performance management, employee motivation, external and internal communication.”

In a response sent to G4Media.ro in May, the Romanian Broadcasting Corporation’s Communications Office declined to provide any details about Andrea Ciolacu’s employment, including whether she is on the institution’s payroll and since when. The reason: „a person’s first and last name is personal data information”. Contacted by G4Media.ro, Andreea Ciolacu said that „I do not want to discuss with you, as I have already said. I am on maternity leave.” According to G4Media.ro, she gave birth a few weeks ago.

Given that the post did not appear in the 2021 assets declaration, it is certain that the employment took place last year, but the secrecy of those involved did not allow us to identify the month in which this took place. If she worked all 12 months in 2022, it would appear that she had a net monthly income of just over 5,000 lei.

Andrea Ciolacu’s first appearance in a position in a public institution was reported by the press in 2020: advisor to the cabinet of Mirel Taloș, one of the vice-presidents of the Romanian Cultural Institute, appointed by the ALDE. Marcel Ciolacu rejected, in an interview, any involvement in this employment:

„Andreea is the name of my niece and I didn’t have it in my head to make her either head of the airport or hospital manager. Andreea, my niece, apart from being my niece and I think she’s a very special child, graduated with straight A’s in photography.

I think an area like the Romanian Cultural Institute is just right for her style and her way of being. She is an artist. (…) I have made an alliance with Mr. Tăriceanu to hire my niece, who has finished the Regia (e.n. The Cinematographic Arts University) – art photography and has won countless awards abroad, not in Romania? I don’t know Mr Taloș Mirel and I’m glad Andreea has found her place in that environment. I would like you to make the difference between a good and professional child and other names”.

From the National Integrity Agency (ANI) website, it appears that Andreea Ioana Ciolacu submitted her first declaration of assets in April 2017, during the Dragnea government, when she became an advisor in the office of one of the secretaries of state in the Ministry of Culture and National Identity headed at that time by Ioan Vulpescu (PSD). The document showed that, in the previous fiscal year, she had worked as an artistic consultant at the Bucharest National Opera (total income – 28,582 lei) and as a secretary at the Alcom Buzău company owned by Marcel Ciolacu (income – 3,612 lei).

In 2018, Andrea Ciolacu’s declaration of wealth was also signed as an advisor to the same Ministry, the document also indicating that, in the previous year, she had also been an advisor to the parliamentary office of a member of parliament from where she had received 5,784 lei net, but she had also remained a secretary at Alcom from where she had received 843 lei net.

ANI’s website does not have a declaration of wealth from 2019, but the one from 2020, the year in which she arrived at the ICR, mentions that, in the previous fiscal year, she had been an advisor at the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Bucharest ARCUB (income 36,637 lei), an institution subordinated to the General City Hall of the Municipality of Bucharest headed, at that time, by Gabriela Firea, Marcel Ciolacu’s party colleague. Also in 2019, the niece of the current Prime Minister was also an advisor at the private company Interim Plus SRL (income – 22,200 lei), a company owned by a Cypriot offshore with the object of recruiting and providing qualified personnel in all sectors of activity, throughout Europe and „which has more than 25 years of experience in France”, according to the company’s website.

The other chapters of the declaration of assets signed by Andreea Ioana Ciolacu in June 2023 show that last year she bought a new car: a Jeep Renegade manufactured in 2015. A website consulted by G4Media.ro lists cars with these characteristics at prices between 10,600 euros and 18,000 euros. She also owns a 1996 Tico.

In terms of real estate, the PSD leader’s niece listed a 55 sqm apartment in Bucharest, bought in 2013 with a loan of 42,000 euros over 30 years. Every year, it appears as rented („for tourism purposes”, it was mentioned in the 2020 declaration), the amount received in 2022 being 6,244 lei. At the ICR, as an advisor, she had a total income of 27,311 lei in 2022.