An MP for the governing Social Democrats (PSD) has submitted four bills eyeing the management of the intelligence services, as the PSD leadership has become more vocal about the intelligence community, prompting debates about apparent moves to subdue them politically.
Liviu Plesoianu, a PSD deputy notorious for his anti-Western rethoric and the support given to him by Russia-backed media such as Sputnik, proposes in his bills, among others, that the heads and deputy heads of the intelligence services can only serve for one term of maximum four years. He also calls that the head of the Romanian Intelligence Service, who can only be dismissed from office at the request of the President of Romania, be also dismissed if necessary at the request of one third of MPs.
Pundits have been warning that the PSD would try to strip the President of his powers over the intelligence services. But the four bills, in their current form, retain the President as part of the procedures to name the heads of the four intelligence services.
