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Romanian Security Chief Under Scrutiny as State Body Reopens Securitate Probe
🇷🇴 Romania /Crime & Justice

Romanian Security Chief Under Scrutiny as State Body Reopens Securitate Probe

From Adevărul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Romania's National Council for the Study of Securitate Archives (CNSAS) has reopened an investigation into Lucian Pahonțu, the head of the SPP security service.
  • The probe follows recent journalistic investigations and focuses on whether Pahonțu collaborated with the former communist Securitate.
  • CNSAS confirmed Pahonțu did not submit a required declaration of non-collaboration in 2005, and the council can only rule on his past relationship with the Securitate, not on events like the 1989 revolution.

Romania's National Council for the Study of Securitate Archives (CNSAS) has reactivated its investigation into Lucian Pahonțu, the current head of the Special Protection Service (SPP). This move comes in the wake of two recent journalistic inquiries by Recorder and Snoop, which prompted CNSAS to seek further information.

Yes, I confirm this. Following recent requests related to the two journalistic investigations, CNSAS has resumed checks for Mr. Lucian Pahonțu.

— Mădălin HodorVice president of CNSAS confirming the reopened investigation.

Mădălin Hodor, vice president of CNSAS, confirmed the renewed scrutiny. The council has requested and received information from former holders of Securitate archives. These documents are now being analyzed to find evidence related to Pahonțu's activities. Hodor anticipates a decision within a reasonable timeframe regarding Pahonțu's potential status as a collaborator or operative of the former Securitate, or conversely, if no such links are found.

We have received a set of answers and are currently searching for evidence related to Mr. Lucian Pahonțu's activities. I believe that within a reasonable timeframe, we will have a decision regarding his status as a collaborator or worker of the former Securitate, or conversely, if he was not a collaborator or worker of the former Securitate.

— Mădălin HodorExplaining the process and expected outcome of the investigation.

Hodor emphasized that CNSAS's mandate is strictly limited to determining past collaboration with the Securitate. The council cannot comment on other allegations circulating in public, such as Pahonțu's alleged presence at the Intercontinental Hotel barricade during the 1989 revolution or events in June 1990, as these fall outside its legal purview. CNSAS can only examine Securitate documents dating up to December 22, 1989.

I want to clarify that CNSAS can only rule on this specific aspect. We have no other legal attributes regarding the rest of the things that have been stated about Mr. Pahonțu.

— Mădălin HodorDefining the limited scope of the CNSAS investigation.

Furthermore, CNSAS records show no declaration of non-collaboration filed by Pahonțu. Such a declaration was legally required in 2005 when he assumed the SPP leadership. The SPP was also obligated to forward this document to CNSAS to initiate the verification process. The absence of this declaration adds another layer to the ongoing investigation.

CNSAS does not have the legal authority to rule on events from December 1989 or June 1990.

— Mădălin HodorClarifying the limitations of CNSAS's investigative powers.
About this summary

Originally published by Adevărul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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