Romanian Pres Passes Law Approving Govt Ordinance On Former Secret Police Files

The head of state signed the decree approving Government Emergency Ordinance no. 24/2008 granting access to one’s own file from the communist era and disclosing the activity of former Secret Police Securitate, the Presidency said in a statement.

The act stipulates CNSAS is to have a mere administrative role, without being allowed to pass ruling of political police.

CNSAS can only observe the attribute of former worker or collaborator with the Securitate, the act noted. 

The act includes two amendments that stipulate CNSAS can no longer verify county secretaries of the former Communist Party, or PCR, and that priests are subject to verification only if the cult they belong to files an official request.

Romania’s government adopted in March CNSAS’ new organic structure.

“CNSAS’ role is only to observe, based on archive documents, if someone collaborated with former secret police Securitate or if he/she worked for the police and thus they contributed to limiting a person’s rights and freedom (…) while the court is the one that makes a biding ruling regarding the quality of collaborator or worker with Securitate police,” Marius Oprea, adviser to Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu said at the time.

Basescu signed also the decrees rejecting normative acts ensuring the continuity of the functioning of the council, between the moment when the old law was ruled unconstitutional and the moment when the new normative act was enacted.