Stejărel Olaru
Stejărel Olaru was born on 30 January 1973, graduated from the Faculty of Theology of the University of Bucharest in 2000 and achieved his Masters in Political Sciences at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Bucharest. In 2010 he became a Doctor in Military Science and Intelligence, a title conferred by the National Defence University “Carol I”, Bucharest.

Between 2001 and 2006 he worked within the Romanian Institute for Recent History, and as a columnist for various newspapers in Romania.

From 2005 to 2010, he was Director General of the Institute for the Investigation of Communist Crimes in Romania. In this capacity, he researched the post-communist judicial system in Romania, and published books on the history, structures, and the activities of the secret service in communist Romania. He also published in the general press and coordinated projects on the most delicate aspects of communism: repression, torture and population control.

He was appointed state counsellor to the prime minister of Romania on national security issues in 2006, and Government representative in the National Intelligence Community. In this role he coordinated the Department for National Security Issues, and took part in reforming the legal framework of Romania’s national security systems. During his mandate, he visited risk zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina – as well as expert centres in the field of national and international security in the US and UK.

Among his books are Stasi şi Securitatea (Stasi and the Securitate - 2005), together with Georg Herbstritt; Guide to Archives, Research Institutions, Libraries, Societies, Museums and Memorial Places (2004); Cei cinci care au speriat Estul (The Five Who Terrified the East - 2003); Ziua care nu se uită. 15 noiembrie 1987, Braşov (The Day We Won’t Forget. 15 November 1987, Brașov - 2002) with Marius Oprea; Securiştii Partidului (The Party’s Securitate Men - 2002). Articles in the national and international press include studies of the former communist secret structures, as well as analyses of the new secret services in Romania.

Stejărel Olaru is presently a university lecturer in the history of Romanian secret services and intelligence gathering.