Moldovan Intelligence and Security Service to detach officers to 17 state institutions

Chisinau, 9 December /MOLDPRES/ - The intelligence and Security Service (SIS) will detach its representatives to ministries and other public institutions, because of dangers and vulnerabilities in the economic, social, financial and banking, energy and budgetary sectors. The topic was discussed in the beginning of a today's cabinet meeting. 

"This is nothing new, it is about the observance of the Law on Intelligence and Security Service. The article 10 stipulates clearly: intelligence officers are detached to public authorities, enterprises, state institutions and organisations, in the way provided for by the government, to hold offices within them and continuing to fulfill special services," acting Prime Minister Gheorghe Brega said. 

Brega demanded that SIS Director Mihai Balan developed a draft decision to this end, to be considered by the cabinet. In a letter sent to the acting prime minister on 7 December, the Intelligence and Security Service demanded detaching of its representatives to 17 ministries and state institutions, such as Finance Ministry and Economics Ministry, Customs Service and State Fiscal Principal Inspectorate, National Bank of Moldova, Medicines Agency, National Anticorruption Centre, General Police Inspectorate and others. Also, SIS demanded detaching of intelligence officers to the Academy of Sciences, Moldtelecom and Moldovagaz.

SIS officers will provide support for public administrations "in fighting corruption, frauds dealing with the European funds' management, as well as   protection of secret information from each ministry," Mihai Balan said at the cabinet meeting. Balan added that, just this week, he would submit proposals to the ministries and institutions included in the list, and requested that the officers be appointed to the offices that would provide them access to contracts, accounting and other documents related to European funds. 

Most ministers backed SIS' proposals. Some ministers, however, declared against this, stressing that they had even the impression that "Moldova returns to 1970s, when no excursion abroad was made, unless there was somebody from KGB in the group. SIS has access to all secret documents." 

Mihai Balan stressed that it was not about a full supervision. The SIS officers will provide support to institutions' heads to exercise control in terms of ensuring the preservation and prevention of the leak of information representing state secret and other important information for the state, prevention and counteraction of corruption elements in institutions, within their competence. 

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)