Sandu Government avoids declaration on Minister and adviser's salaries
The Sandu Government violates the Law on access to information, but also fails to fulfill promises related to transparency. Publika TV has not received the response to a request sent yet on July 10. In this address, the Publika TV reporter asked for information on the salaries of the ministers and advisers of the PM Maia Sandu.
The letter was sent to the e-mail address of the Government press service, a confirmation to receive the request came after 10 minutes.
Under the current Law on Access to Information, Article 16 requires that public institutions respond in 15 days, with an additional five days if the requested information is substantial or additional consultations are required.
Prime Minister Maia Sandu previously promised total transparency.
Recently, on a private TV show, Maia Sandu answered to the questions on her salary that "I have a gross salary of 19,500 lei, net salary is 15,500 lei".
Among the names indicated in the request addressed to the Government is Vladislav Kulminski, the foreign policy adviser of Maia Sandu. Before becoming Sandu's adviser, Kulminski was the a program producer from Jurnal TV, which belongs to Victor Ţopa - godfather of Minister Andrei Nastase.
According to an investigation conducted three years ago by rise.md, Kulminski was also an adviser to PM Iurie Leancă. He was paid monthly over $4,000, money from US billionaire George Soros, through a non-governmental organization in Germany. Now, in addition to his collaboration with Jurnal TV, Vladislav Kulminski also holds the position of executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives.