Klaus Iohannis made 34 foreign trips this year, spending a total of more than 41 million lei (8.2 million euros), Kotrocenyul told in the context of the fact that this year there was a public debate on the topic of the expenses of the president’s foreign visits, which are not presented in detail on on the grounds that they are classified information.

According to the response of the Presidential Administration to the request of Agerpres, the corresponding expenses for 34 foreign trips of official delegations led by President Klaus Iohannis in 2023 amount to 41,104,103 lei.

This money constitutes almost a third of the budget of the Presidential Administration for 2023, set at 135 million lei.

In 2023, Yohannis made several visits to the world, which became the first in the last 20 years when a head of state visited Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Kenya, Tanzania, Cape Verde or Senegal. Presented by the presidential administration as a diplomatic success, they have been heavily criticized domestically because of costs that are kept secret and because the destinations were seen as more touristy.

“I will instruct the press service to provide you with information in accordance with the law”

Expenses for the official trips of the head of state have been at the center of public discussions for a long time. A Libertatea reporter asked President Klaus Iohannis during a visit to Cape Verde why he does not disclose travel expenses.

“The fact that we have come to Africa shows Romania’s new approach to the African continent. We have a new strategy for Africa, and to give weight to it, I have planned this tour of Africa. And even if it is not over yet, we are making our third state visit here in Cape Verde, I can already conclude, and if you want me to be very focused: thanks to this tour, I have put Romania back on the African radar. I think Romanians appreciate it, because many people know what kind of relations we had, and I think many people are aware of the huge potential that good relations between Romania and African countries represent, between the European Union and Africa,” said President.

“As for expenses, of course these things are associated with certain expenses, I will instruct the press service to provide you with information according to the law,” President Klaus Iohannis also said.

The hacked information is still confidential

However, on December 12, the Presidential Administration sent an official response regarding the cost of the official tour of the head of state to Africa, that detailing the expenses necessary for these foreign trips by directions, periods and categories is not possible, because “this operation may create situations of violation of the provisions of the law on the protection of secret information”.

The only information to which the press service responded concerned the composition of the official delegation of President Klaus Iohannis. And this despite the fact that the request was made after Klaus Iohannis said that he would “instruct the press service to provide information on the cost of the tour to Africa”.

News.ro Agency has requested the Presidential Administration under Law No. 544/2001 on Free Access to Information of Public Interest to clarify the costs of President Klaus Iohannis’ trip to Africa from November 14 to 23, 2023.

The Presidential Administration reported that “trips of official delegations led by the President of Romania are carried out on the basis of service contracts for the execution of special flights concluded in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations on Organization, Preparation and Execution.” special flights, approved by Government Resolution No. 755/1998 with subsequent changes and additions”.

• “According to the requirements established by the previously mentioned Regulation, information related to the organization and conduct of special flights is subject to the national legislation in the field of protection of classified information, in the context of which contracts for the provision of services for the registration of special flights, documents containing secret data and information, in full. As a result, no information contained in them or related to them can be transferred, being excluded from the free access of citizens in accordance with the provisions of Art. 12, par. (1), lit. a) from Law No. 544/2001 on free access to information of public interest, with subsequent amendments and additions, in conjunction with the provisions of Law No. 544/2001. No. 182/2002 on the protection of classified information with the following amendments and additions,” the press service of the Presidential Administration said in a statement.

Where did Klaus Iohannis go this year:

This year, the Head of State made a number of foreign trips, respectively to Azerbaijan (February 2-3 – official visit and participation in the ministerial meeting of the Consultative Council of the Southern Gas Corridor), Luxembourg (official visit – February 27), Poland (February 22 – B9 meeting), Belgium (European Council meeting – February 9, March 23-24, June 29-30, October 26-27, December 14-15, CELAC – July 17-18, official visit – November 8, December 13 – EU-Western Balkans summit ), United Arab Emirates (March 18-21 – official visit and December 2-4 – COP28), Bulgaria (March 15 – official visit), Japan (March 6-8 – official visit). ), Singapore (March 10 – state visit), Great Britain (May 5-6 – participation in the coronation ceremonies of King Charles III and Queen Camilla), Iceland (May 16-17 – the summit of the Council of Europe), the Kingdom of Jos (meetings in a narrow mode in as part of preparations for the NATO summit), Slovakia (June 6 – B9 summit), Republic of Moldova (European Political Community summit), Lithuania (July 11-12 – NATO summit), USA (December 19-21). – UN General Assembly), Hungary (October 11 – official visit), Portugal (October 7-9 – state visit), Spain (October 5 – summit of the European Political Community and informal meeting of the European Council).

The head of state also made two trips: to Latin America (Brazil, Chile and Argentina – April 18-25) and Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, the Republic of Cape Verde and Senegal – November 14-23).

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