The Department of Intelligence and Internal Protection (DIPI) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is in the process of reorganization and the structure is likely to be placed under parliamentary control.
A first draft of the reform is to be sent to the Government in the next two weeks, Minister Dragos Tudorache announced on Thursday during a press conference.
„I have announced it (DIPI reform – n.r.) as a priority and it remains one of the priorities. We are running an internal analysis with all the departments the ministry that may have a contribution in defining this reform. My goal is to propose within two weeks the Government and other institutions involved, a first model of the reform”, said the Minister Dragos Tudorache, quoted by Digi24.
The Minister of Interior Affairs said that he primarily seeks the clarification of DIPI’s area of competence, so that to avoid duplication with other state services dealing with intelligence or counter-intelligence activities.
„It is essential to get a clarification of these areas of competence. Secondly, it is my intention to submit DIPI, or what it will be called after the reorganization, to the parliamentary oversight, the same as other structures working in the area of intelligence, just to have transparency and making this entity accountable in relation with the Parliament „, said Minister Tudorache.
One of the major changes taken into account and analysed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the militarization of this intelligence structure, said sources from MIA to News.ro. DIPI agents and officers, who are now civil servants with special status, could receive military ranks and be organized based on a military hierarchy.
The situation from DIPI is the one that led to former Interior Minister Petre Toba’s resignation, following the criminal investigation against former heads of the intelligence structure started by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA). DNA prosecutors asked for approval for starting the criminal prosecution against Petre Toba in the case of favouring the offender.
DNA prosecutors accuse Toba that he refused, in a discretionary manner, the initiation of the procedure for partial declassification of documents that would have proven the embezzlement of DIPI budget. Investigators claim that the lack of transparency in the management of the operational funds led to laughing the legal destination of the operative funds and the national security to scorn.
In May 2016, the former deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea, the head of DIPI Nicolae Gheorghe and his deputy Nelu Zarn were prosecuted for abuse of office to obtain undue advantages for himself or for another, complicity to abuse of office and recurrent embezzlement.
