Romanian Council Studying Secret Police Files Mulls Contesting Dinescu’s Removal

Romania's National Integrity Agency said early February it found Dinescu incompatible with public office because of his ownership of two agricultural companies. The law gives Dinescu 15 days to contest the agency's decision, which means his removal from the council studying secret police files from the country's communist past.

Dinescu told MEDIAFAX Tuesday he doesn't plan to contest the decision, but the Council might, to avoid rendering null all the decisions to which Dinescu participated.

"Contesting this decision is beneath me," said Dinescu, who was a dissident under communism and has helped publish files that exposed public figures who had collaborated with the communist secret police.

He also said he has provided the council with his firm's documents, including a paper by which he empowered someone else to take care of the firm's business.

People within the council have told MEDIAFAX that Mihai Caraman, a former head of Romania's Foreign Intelligence Service, whom the council exposed as a Securitate collaborator, has already required a court to check whether Dinescu was involved in the decision.

The Council for the Study of the Archives of Romania's former secret police Securitate has not said officially whether it would contest the integrity agency's decision. Council officials said Dinescu's case has not been formally discussed so far.

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