The CSAT (Supreme Council for National Security) members are meeting today at Cotroceni Palace to talk about several issues: Romania's national security strategy and proposals, observations and suggestions about the national security legislation. They will also discuss report on the activity of the CSAT in 2005 and one more report on the activity of the Ministry of Defense last year, along with an action plan set for 2006. Members are also to consider information about the measures the Interior Minustry has been proposed to proceed to, regarding Law 395/2005 on the suspension of compulsory military services at times of peace and the volunteer system recently adopted. The CSAT members will also look into a report on the Finance Ministry's action to fight corruption, fraud and money laundry. The attributions of the SRI are reason for dispute The hot point on today's meeting agenda is the set of projects on national security. Many civil society representatives and Liberal politicians believe they include certain points dangerous for human rights and freedoms. One of these controversial points is the permission for information officers to draw documents before the start of criminal investigations. Romanian president Traian Basescu mentioned yesterday that this was taken from a Criminal Code article. He explained: "The SRI (Romanian Secret Service) has now got the obligation to provide information, but the latter can't be taken as evidence. If you take a look in the Criminal Code, you can see that the proves the SRI collects may be taken as preliminary evidence in court, if it is about fields the SRI deals with: terrorism and economic criminality." Basescu mentioned the SRI could no longer handle inquiries, like the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service) used to do. Basescu claimed: "The media has been taking advantage of it because this is dear to some people: Basescu the dictator and the resurrection of the ex Securitate. The SRI could no longer open investigations and call people in for statements." He also added that, according to the new laws, the SRI would hand in information and eventual evidence to the prosecutor, "the only one entitled to say if it's fit for the case or not." (...)

Ovidiu BANCHES