PMP's Basescu believes that risk to declassify all collaboration protocols should be assumed

Former President of Romania, Chairman of the People's Movement Party (PMP) and Senator Traian Basescu stated that, taking into account the public pressure, the risk of disclosing all protocols signed by the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) should be assumed, mentioning that Romania's Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) has nothing to declassify from this point of view.

"The protocol can only reflect procedures based on the law. I am convinced that, although, these protocols are very much talked about, the institutions which signed them make a big mistake not declassifying them. I have only one doubt, whether the disclosure of procedures helps criminals. Here I have a doubt. But otherwise, taking into account the public pressure, I believe the risk of declassifying all collaboration protocols should be assumed. Whether it is the SRI-ANI [the National Integrity Agency] collaboration, the SRI ... It is my understanding that they also have a collaboration protocol with those from the State Domains," Basescu told RTV private television station on Sunday.

He mentioned that the "CSAT has nothing to declassify in terms of protocols, because it has not approved any protocol."

"I have never seen such protocol. The CSAT asked institutions to collaborate in respect to the fight against corruption, tax evasion. It has issued decisions in this regard and, at one point every three months, the Finance Ministry should have reported the developments (...). Neither during my tenure, and I am convinced that nor during Iohannis', has the CSAT started to approve interinstitutional protocols. The level is too low (...) the CSAT has never approved, I repeat, has never approved an interinstitutional protocol. This was, indeed, the institutions' job," the former head of state said.

Basescu also said that, according to law, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila will approve the declassification of any protocol which the institutions heads will agree to disclose.

He underscored that, if he were Romania's President, he would request the declassification of these protocols in the future CSAT meeting on Tuesday.

"Yes, I would request to declassify them. Exactly to close this chapter which will linger on all the time. I believe that a declassification can also be achieved through a final court ruling, if the institution doesn't want it. I believe, I suppose, but I don't know if I'm right. But, it's certain that the mechanism provided by the law is this: the institution head who stamped "state secret" on a document is the only one who can agree to the declassification which must be approved by the Government. Mrs Dancila says she agrees, she even asks it, therefore, currently, it is in the hands of the institutions heads who signed these collaboration protocols to agree their declassification," Traian Basescu also stated.

Justice Minister Tudorel Toader announced on Friday that he will request on Monday for the Public Ministry - the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) to declassify the protocols concluded with the SRI.

PM Viorica Dancila requested "the declassification of protocols concluded between the SRI and other institutions of the state," according to a release of the Government. AGERPRES (RO - author: Livia Popescu, editor: Oana Popescu; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)