Who are the advisers who would be part of Nicuşor Dan's team from Cotroceni: a former liberal prime minister is on the list of possible presidential counselors
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, speaks to the press on his arrival at a meeting within the European Political Community (CPE). Credit Line: Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg / Sopa Images / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
Nicușor Dan is going to make a series of appointments at the top of the Presidential Administration. Former Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, diplomat Marius Lazurca, MEP Eugen Tomac, Professor Valentin Naumescu and a lawyer close to Mircea Geoană are on the list of those who would become presidential advisers, according to political sources quoted by News.ro. According to G4Media, the president is due to dismiss six of the 11 current councilors, and the new appointments would be formalized on Monday, October 6, with entry from November 1.
Former Prime Minister Ludovic Orban would be appointed presidential counselor for internal politics.
Professor at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj, Valentin Naumescu will become a counselor for European affairs, instead of Luminița Odobescu, who will return to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will receive an ambassador position.
MEP Eugen Tomac is expected to become a counselor for Romanians in the diaspora. But Tomac will play an honorary role in order not to lose his mandate in the European Parliament. Tomac is the president of the PMP, but was elected on a common list with USR in the European elections in the summer of 2024. Eugen Tomac has been in charge of the relationship with Romanians everywhere in the mandate of President Traian Basescu, being one of his close collaborators.
From the Capital City Hall, President Nicuşor Dan wants Alexandru Ciurea, who was a legal adviser in several disputes, the sources quoted. Ciurea is licensed in law at the University of Bucharest. In addition, he graduated from the Professional Master Program of European and International Business Law, in French. Ciurea would run the legal department of the Presidential Administration.
Also, Nicuşor Dan will appoint state counselor Ana Maria Geană, who was a counselor during the mayor's mandates on the relationship with the economic agents in Bucharest. In fact, Ana Maria Geană was part of the campaign team for the presidential elections, along with Diana Iancu, who will become a presidential counselor for communication.
Marius Lazurcarecalled from the position of ambassador, conveyed and possible proposal to the SIE chief
Marius Lazurca, recently recalled from the position of Romanian ambassador to Mexico, will be appointed adviser on foreign policy, but the head of state would like to impose it on the head of SIE, political sources say for News.ro.
Lazurca was in the past conveyed as a variant for the management of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE). On September 15, he was recalled by Nicușor Dan from the position of ambassador of Romania to Mexico.
President Nicușor Dan has declared since the convening of Marius Lazurca back to the country that he wants him to hold an important position in the central administration.
According to News.ro, Nicuşor Dan would have sent Marius Lazurca at the time of recall in the country that it is the first option for the SIE chief, but the move depends on the PSD votes. If the social-democrats do not accept it, then it will remain within the Presidential Administration.
Social-democratic leader Sorin Grindeanu told the coalition partners to wait for President Nicuşor Dan to come with more names for all secret services, then he will make a decision. At this moment, the position of director of the SIE is occupied by Gabriel Vlase, former PSD parliamentarian, but would withdraw, if an agreement is reached for the nomination of a new head of SIE.
A future counselor appears on the BEC website as a representative of the party who supported Mircea Geoană in 2024
At the same time, Cosmin Soare-Filatov would become a presidential adviser on constitutional law issues. He was one of the lawyers who were involved in the campaign of Mircea Geoană, an independent candidate for last year's presidential elections, political sources say.
Moreover, his name appears on the website of the Central Electoral Bureau as a representative of the Romania Party in action, a formation that supported Mircea Geoană at the presidential election of 2024.
According to G4Media, among the names taken into account for the position of counselor in Cotroceni are the former Minister of Culture Toader Paleologu, but it is not clear if he is willing to accept a position in the Presidential Administration, writes the source.
