US State Department rents Bucharest mansion for EUR 20,000 a month for head of local mission

The state-owned luxury mansion Dante Villa in Bucharest will be rented to the United States State Department, to be used as a residence for the chief of the US diplomatic mission to Bucharest, according to the Romanian Government. The head of the US diplomatic mission to Romania is currently Duane Butcher (in picture), who has been interim Charges D'Affaires since December 2012. He will serve as interim until the next U.S. Ambassador to Romania arrives, after the previous ambassador, Mark H. Gitenstein, completed his diplomatic assignment and returned to the United States. A recent statement of the Government shows that the Administration of State Protocol Patrimony (RA-APPS) “has concluded a five-year lease agreement with the US, according to the Civil Code, that may be extended for a period of 15 years, for the property located in Bucharest, on Dante Aligheri street, which will therefore become a diplomatic residence”. The Dante Villa, located in the Northern area of Bucharest near the Herastrau lake, will be rented for EUR 20,000 a month. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced the state had rented out the Dante Villa to an embassy of a country which is “very friendly towards Romania”. The local news agency Mediafax recently reported that the villa was moved from the state’s public patrimony, to its private one, which allowed for its leasing. The villa has 936 sqm of built area, it has a pool and fitness room, an exit towards the lake and a 4,200 sqm surrounding plot. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com