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Romania spy chief blasts court ruling banning surveillance Romania spy chief blasts court ruling banning surveillance
(35 minutes later)
BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania’s intelligence chief says a recent court decision that bans his agency from carrying out phone-tapping on behalf of police and prosecutors will harm Romania’s national security. BUCHAREST, Romania — Romania’s intelligence chief said Thursday a recent court decision that bans his agency from carrying out phone-tapping on behalf of police and prosecutors will harm Romania’s national security.
Eduard Hellvig, who heads the Romanian Intelligence Agency, said in a statement Thursday that the ruling would make it illegal to monitor espionage, terrorism, organized crime, cybercrime and corruption. He said the agency would respect the court decision. Eduard Hellvig, who heads the Romanian Intelligence Agency, said in a statement that the ruling would make it illegal to monitor espionage, terrorism, organized crime, cybercrime and corruption. He said the agency would respect the court decision.
The Constitutional Court recently ruled it was unconstitutional for the agency to tap phones in prosecutions because it was “not an organ for criminal investigation.”The Constitutional Court recently ruled it was unconstitutional for the agency to tap phones in prosecutions because it was “not an organ for criminal investigation.”
The anti-corruption prosecutors’ office has successfully prosecuted many high-level officials in recent years and uses the agency’s sophisticated surveillance technology in some of its prosecutions. The anti-corruption prosecutors’ office has successfully prosecuted many high-level officials in recent years and uses the agency’s sophisticated surveillance technology in some of its prosecutions. It said it would need about 10.4 million euros ($11.44 million) and 100 police officers to carry out surveillance.
Romania’s supreme defense council will discuss the court’s decision on Friday. Romania’s national police inspectorate said Thursday the decision meant it would need to hire another 1,000 officers and would ask for an extra 30 million euros ($33 million), while the prosecutor’s office which fights cybercrime and organized crime said it needed 200 extra officers and a budgetary supplement of 20 million euros ($22million) as a result of the court ruling.
Constitutional Court President Augustin Zegrean on Thursday defended the ruling, saying: “nobody who is guilty of a criminal act will escape punishment as a result of this decision.” Romania’s supreme defense council will discuss the court’s decision on Friday.
Romania, which is a member of the European Union and NATO, has stepped up its fight against organized crime and high-level corruption in recent years.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.