Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service Said It Doesn’t Tap Phones

In a press release, issued Wednesday, the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service makes several statements to clarify the statements made Tuesday by Claudiu Saftoiu in a television show.

 

According to the provisions of Law 1/1998 on the organization and functioning of the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service, the activity of the service is controlled by the High Council for National Defense, to which the director presents annual reports or reports requested by the Parliament of Romania, through the special Parliament Commission controlling the activity of the Foreign Intelligence Service. "The main objective pursued by the Commission is, according to Parliament Decision 44/1998, the inspection of the manner in which the institution observes the Constitution and laws of the Romanian state," said the quoted source.

 

The Foreign Intelligence Service states that throughout 2007 and 2008, due to inflammatory statements made by people found in high public dignity positions, the service replied to all requests formulated by the SIE Commission as well as by the joint parliament investigation commission delegated to check the information supplied regarding the interception of communications, on the “suspicion of violation of legal norms in the area of telephone conversation interception.”

 

The Service states that during 2007 the parliament committees unfolded three control actions on this topic in the SIE headquarters (in March, April and October), including two inspections in the technical areas. Intelligence officers were interviewed during these inspections, and the legality of all procedure documents based on which interceptions were authorized and performed.

 

"The conclusions of investigations unfolded by these committees, publicly expressed or transmitted to the Service, reveal that the Service completely observed the provisions of Romanian laws," the document reads.