Nicușor Dan clarifies the rumors about SRI and SIE: “The names in the press have nothing to do with reality or my brain”
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, firmly rejects the information appearing in the public space regarding the future appointments to the leadership of SRI and SIE and says that the lists circulated in the press have nothing to do with his options.
President Nicușor Dan stated that the speculations in the press about who would take over the leadership of the Romanian Intelligence Service and the Foreign Intelligence Service are unfounded and do not reflect the real discussions that are taking place at the moment.
“All I want to tell you, all the names we have all seen in the media have nothing to do with reality or my brain. You will see after the talks are over“, said the head of state, when asked about the nominations for the two key positions in the security system.
Asked if the future heads of SRI and SIE could come from the political area, the president did not rule out this option, but avoided providing additional details. “It's possible”answered Nicușor Dan, without making any further clarifications, according to Agerpres.
What names are circulated in the political backstage
According to some political sources, at the beginning of January, PNL would support the Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, and the President of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean, for the leadership of the SRI. As for the leadership of SIE, PSD would consider several options, including Vasile Dîncu, Claudiu Manda and MEP Andi Cristea, but the favorite would be presidential adviser Marius Lazurcă.
The same sources claim that the appointments to the leadership of SRI and SIE will be discussed “take away” with those for the head of the prosecutor's offices, given that the PSD has a decisive role in the governing coalition and owns the Ministry of Justice, the institution that makes the proposals for the leadership of the General Prosecutor's Office, DNA and DIICOT.
The procedure for the appointment of the new heads of the prosecutor's offices is to be launched soon by the Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu. After formulating the proposals, they will need the advisory opinion of the CSM, and the final decision will belong to the president.
The mandates of the current heads of prosecutors, Alex Florenta, at the General Prosecutor's Office, and Marius Voineag, at the DNA, expire on March 30, but both can be reconfirmed for a second mandate.
