The qualities that future SRI and SIE chiefs should have. Expert: “You need a radical change, I would see a woman there”

President Nicușor Dan should name new chiefs in SRI and SIE in the near future, and a few names have already been conveyed. The experts consulted by “Adevărul” refer to their analysis to the conditions and criteria that should be the basis of the appointment of the heads of services, but also to the qualities they should have.

Photo: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea

The Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) would have a new leadership, and President Nicușor Dan will have, according to the Constitution of Romania, the last word, even if the Parliament must formally accept its nominations. The head of state would have already informed Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and Sorin Grindeanu about his intentions in this regard. Obviously, several names were conveyed in the press, and the political analysts had an important topic of debate.

The “truth” addresses this topic of topical, one more than important, and from another perspective. For this, we have launched a challenge for two well -known political scientists, who, in their analysis, talk about the absolutely necessary qualities for the future heads of SRI and SIE and the criteria on the basis of which they should be appointed.

Decorated by the French state with the medal of officer of academic laurels for its academic activity, the political scientist is a professor at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj and at the University of Paris-East Créteil and an appreciated analyst of foreign policy.

A political decision

In the opinion of Sergiu Mişcoiu, always the appointment of people of such rank is a purely political decision and it can be one inspired by the ability to cope with the function of the chosen person or can be one to lead, despite the impressive CV and the pre-existing experience, to more ambiguous or even weak degreasing results.

“I would first emphasize the fact that we are dealing with a political decision. The person must have the confidence of the head of state and, if possible, there is a consensus around the appointment, to enjoy the trust and a governmental majority and, if possible, even a large part of the political class. Also, it should be a person without major spots on the pre -existing file, especially in terms of loyalty to Romania, verticality, respect for the law, rules and so on. It should be no doubt a good connoisseur of the political system and the decision system in Romania, a good manager, who has the ability to work with people and know how to run institutions. The experience in leading some institutions would, however, be important, even speaking of institutions at local level or at the level of the echelon 2-3 ”says Mişcoiu.

Conditions, criteria and qualities

These would not be the only criteria in question. From the beginning, a head of secret services should understand very well the role it will play and the way the institution works. But it's not enough. It must understand many work dimensions, complex contexts and that need serious approaches not simple logic exercises. Last but not least, they should have studies to recommend it for this post.

“Of course, I need to know and understand the role and functioning of an information service. I, rather, if I were to choose, I would go in the direction of specialists who have done master's or doctoral works on the information services and have a certain experience in analyzing the functionality of the system. do with someone who comes completely from outside the respective system“Adds the expert.

In addition, the future heads of SIE and SRI should, the expert considers, to come up with deep reformist visions to the respective institutions.

“It is clear that now trust is not very high, that these institutions must be as well as managed as possible, at the same time there must be an assumption of a reformist vision that cannot happen inside the respective institution. So I would march, rather, a specialist of the analysis of information, which has the system, which is not very socially, which is not very socially and”, Explains Sergiu Mişcoiu.

How much does the diplomatic experience and a serious networking matter

Especially at SIE, the future director should come up with an experience in the diplomatic system, and the good external connections would help him enormously.

“At the SIE I think the profile should be of a person who can work in the diplomatic system, so he understands how the relationship between information services and government works, presidents and other institutions. It would also be good to be someone who has an international real experience. It has an experience of interaction including it.”, Says Mişcoiu.

A woman in front of SRI or SIE

In general, espionage and world of secret services seems to be a world of men. It seems only, because in history there have been many names of women who have had at least comparable to those of men. At this moment, a woman, Tulsi Gabbard, is the director of national intelligence services in the United States, even in the mandate of Donald Trump. Without a connection with this detail, the professor from Cluj believes that it would be desirable for at least one of the directors of the services to be a woman.

“I honestly do not see why I did not opt, for at least one of the two institutions, for a woman. We have no women in public functions, we have not done so, but there is this variant and I think it should be taken very seriously if we want a change.” says the expert.

The political scientist Andra Martinescu is a researcher at the University of Cambridge and Senior Research Fellow at the British Think-Tank The Foreign Policy Center. At the end of last year, Andra Martinescu drew attention with a study on Russia's subversive actions during the presidential elections in Romania, in 2024, but also on the vulnerability of Romanian intelligence structures that should have been preventing this.

The study of the Romanian, who led a team of Romanian and Ukrainian researchers, was disseminated by NATO and also reached the European Commission.

How to see Cambridge problem data

In his opinion, the future heads of the SRI and SIE should meet from the beginning a criterion that they consider essential.

“First of all, before qualities, but in the sense of competence, I think that the future head of services should not be a character with affiliates or a certain type of exposure. And in qualities, it is able to have a deep understanding of the geopolitical dynamics at least at regional level, of the real risks that we are facing. Well, an excellent negotiator”, Points out Andra Martinescu.

At the same time, she believes that it is very important for the future heads of SRI and SIE to have some external connections, and in the ideal way they can have open doors with personalities with decision -making at European or at least regional level.

“Very important, but it also comes under the umbrella of political negotiation, provides an interface with the political factor, reports, but with speed and ensures the operational efficiency, at the level of budgetary costs”,
adds the expert.

How much do the studies and the experience matter

Andra Martinescu also gives a concrete example from the United Kingdom, the country with a special democratic tradition, but also with an extraordinary level of tradition and competence at the level of intelligence services.

“At least in the UK, the heads of Intelligence Services also have an extremely rigorous academic training. On the other hand, although it is not a mandatory criterion that the heads of services have followed important studies at the great British or American universities, is rather a custom. For example, among the last MI5 bosses was Richard Dearlove”, Says Andra Martinescu.

Instead, the expert believes that it is not necessary for the SIE chief, for example, to have important knowledge in the economic field. Moreover, this can even lead to conflicts of interest, she warns.

“I personally do not see for good or ethical services to create business opportunities, but probably in Romania is the model reconfigured after '90 somehow. I read journalistic investigations, about such activities of some secret service officers in Romania. It is a mission that very easily attracts a vicious circle and leads to a conflict of interest. counteracting potential threats for Romania.emphasizes Andra Martinescu.

Who could drive SRI and SIE

SRI has only one interim chief, General Răzvan Ionașcu, after Eduard Hellvig resigned two years ago. President Klaus Iohannis, and then interim president Ilie Bolojan did not name a new leadership at SRI. The task will be returned to President Nicușor Dan. Until then, SRI is conducted interim by the first deputy of Hellvig, General Răzvan Ionescu.

On the other hand, SIE has been led by General Gabriel Vlase for seven years. It has been appointed since 2018 at the head of the service.

President Nicușor Dan seems to have decided on the new heads of the Romanian Intelligence Service and the Foreign Intelligence Service. During the surprise visit made by the head of state in the Government, information appeared that President Nicușor Dan considers lawyer Gabriel Zbârcea for the head of SRI, and diplomat Marius Gabriel Lazurca for the SIE chief.

Initially, the name of former Prime Minister Dacian Cioloș, for the SRI chief, was also in the public space, but everything remained at the rumor stage. Cioloș's name was received with reserves of security experts like Hari Bucur Marcu. More recently, in the discussion for the SRI, the name of the teacher of international relations Valentin Naumescu was also spoken, but he claims that he is not interested. And for the SIE leadership, the former prime minister Mihai Tudose is also carried.