Rama's Romanian adviser accused of corruption / Allegations of involvement in the Sinaloa cartel

2024-06-16 11:04:00, Aktualitet CNA

Rama's Romanian adviser accused of corruption / Allegations of involvement

Florian Coldea, photo taken from Romanian media

Prime Minister Edi Rama's Security Advisor, Florian Coldea, is being investigated by the National Anticorruption Directorate in Romania for corruption.

According to local media, Coldea was placed under investigation on May 24, based on the notification to the Romanian prosecutor's office, where he is accused together with 2 other people of having asked a businessman for the sum of 700,000 euros, in order to influence some magistrates on some issues.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Rama's office has issued a statement in which he does not deny the contractual relationship with Florian Coldean, rejecting the accusations of connection with drug cartels.

For BIRN, the government has stated that the complainant is the owner of a television station who has been convicted of corruption. "He is a person convicted of corruption in Romania and currently there is another open process for corruption", the answer says.

Edi Rama, LSA photo

Meanwhile, the Romanian media continues with reports on the security advisor of the Prime Minister, Edi Rama. "Adevarul.ro" writes, quoting former prime minister Sali Berisha, that Florian Coldea is involved in business with the dreaded Sinaloa cartel.

Writing in the Romanian media

"The Albanian press was shocked on Friday by the inflammatory statements of the former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. He, who is currently under house arrest, but disclosed a document showing that Florian Coldea, the former first deputy director of the SRI, was an adviser to security officer of the current Albanian prime minister, Edi Rama, in 2023. According to the document, cited by Antena 3, Coldea would have received a monthly sum of 7,000 euros for his services. In addition, Berisha made serious accusations, claiming that Florian Coldea and people in his circle had ties to the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel," the article said.

"Adevarul.ro" reports that the Romanian press also published photos of Coldea and Dorian Ducka, another advisor to Prime Minister Rama.

"Ducka, a former deputy minister of the Albanian government, was also named in the FBI's investigation into the case of former agent Charles McGonigal, who was sentenced to 2 years in prison for taking $225,000 from a former employee of Albanian intelligence services. In Albania, the prime minister was accused by the opposition of having paid McGonigal to attack the Democratic Party and the opposition," the article says.

Meanwhile, according to the Romanian National Press Agency Agerpress, current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu expressed his concern that Coldea, after working in the Romanian intelligence service, worked as a consultant for a third party.

"Adevarul.ro", referring to the photos of Florian Coldeas with Dorian Duçkës, emphasizes that this proves the connection of the Romanian official with Albanian politics.

Dorian Ducka and Florian Coldea

"In Albania, the press took these allegations widely, publishing images of Florian Coldea with Dorian Duck and other officials. These images are presented as evidence of close ties between Coldea and Albanian power circles. Albanian journalists reported that Florian Coldea, used his influence, would have facilitated Marina Pandarof's access to an international drug trafficking network, bringing cocaine from the Sinaloa cartel to Albania. Albanian media describe details of the "M Network", a structure that allegedly distributed cocaine to VIPs in Tirana, which included influential businessmen, high-ranking politicians and generals", writes the Romanian media./CNA