Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BUCHAREST1450
2006-09-14 16:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bucharest
Cable title:
TIT-FOR-TAT: ROMANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER AND CHOD ON
how-toVZCZCXRO3423 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHBM #1450 2571616 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 141616Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5174 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001450
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL PGOV IZ RO
SUBJECT: TIT-FOR-TAT: ROMANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER AND CHOD ON
THE BLOCK
Classified By: DCM Mark A. Taplin for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUCHAREST 001450
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL PGOV IZ RO
SUBJECT: TIT-FOR-TAT: ROMANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER AND CHOD ON
THE BLOCK
Classified By: DCM Mark A. Taplin for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) President Basescu September 12 suspended Defense
Minister Theodor Atanasiu from his duties pending the outcome
of a criminal investigation in a domestic spying scandal.
The President justified his move as necessary in order to
preserve evidence and to prevent the Minister's continued
presence in office from influencing the investigation.
Atanasiu was accused of dereliction of duty, crime against
persons and the public interest in tacitly acknowledging that
he had received intercept reports from the the MOD's
intelligence service of conversations conducted by
presidential administration officials, including key Basescu
advisor and communications director Adriana Saftoiu. After
Atanasiu had claimed during a July news interview that he
knew presidential aides were leaked negative information
about him to the Romanian media, two alleged victims,
Saftoiou and Deputy Eugene Bejinaru filed formal complaints.
Atanasiu has been replaced on an acting basis by MOD State
Secretary Claudiu Dobritsoiu. If Atanasiu is not reinstated,
SIPDIS
a new Defense Minister must be named within 45 days under
Romanian law.
2. (C) In a separate--but related--move, the National
Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) began investigations of the
outgoing Chief of the General Staff, Eugen Badalan, following
an investigation conducted by the Defense Ministry's
Anti-Fraud Section. Badalan is accused of damaging state
interests by exchanging scrapped army vehicles for tires from
the Tofan Group in the year 2000. The case against Badalan
and 11 other individuals, including the head of the army's
logistics agency, was the first case investigated by the MOD
Anti-Fraud Section. Badalan has been relieved of his duties
and has been replaced by Vice Admiral Gheorghe Marin, former
Chief of Staff of the Romanian Navy.
3. (C) The chairman of the commission that investigated Gen.
Badalan, Col. Tene, confirmed to Poloff September 11 that
Defense Minister Atanasiu had personally initiated the
Badalan investigation following a request from the DNA. Tene
said that while the DefMin's approval is not required to
forward a case to the DNA, it does require the approval of
the person who appoints the investigative commission--who was
in fact the DefMin. Tene said that the section had finalized
two investigations and was conducting four additional
investigations of high-ranking past and current military
officers, including a sitting Senator from the Social
Democratic Party (PSD). (Note: While he did not specify whom
was under investigation, PSD Senator Mahail Popescu, the
former CHOD, is one of the few individuals who could fit this
description.)
4. (C) Comment: Atanasiu's brazen admission of spying on
fellow government officials provided Basescu an opportunity
to move him out of the way after the Defense Minister's break
with the President and the Romanian military over Romania's
Iraq troop presence. Atanasiu--a close political ally of
Prime Minister Taraceanu-- has announced he will challenge
his suspension in court, but odds are he will not return to
the Ministry. Given the DefMin's personal involvement in
opening a six-year old case against former CHOD Badalan,
chances that the first case initiated by the MOD's Anti-Fraud
Section was a random event are low. This week's twin
shake-up at the Ministry of Defense will provide political
theater in coming weeks, but it is first and foremost a
reflection of the continuing bitter political competition
between the President and the Prime Minister. While the
changes are unlikely to have a major effect on Romania,s
overall security orientation, the two palaces have competing
visions of defense policy priorities and we will need to stay
fully engaged in looking after our own equities in the weeks
and months ahead. End Comment.
Taplin
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL PGOV IZ RO
SUBJECT: TIT-FOR-TAT: ROMANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER AND CHOD ON
THE BLOCK
Classified By: DCM Mark A. Taplin for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) President Basescu September 12 suspended Defense
Minister Theodor Atanasiu from his duties pending the outcome
of a criminal investigation in a domestic spying scandal.
The President justified his move as necessary in order to
preserve evidence and to prevent the Minister's continued
presence in office from influencing the investigation.
Atanasiu was accused of dereliction of duty, crime against
persons and the public interest in tacitly acknowledging that
he had received intercept reports from the the MOD's
intelligence service of conversations conducted by
presidential administration officials, including key Basescu
advisor and communications director Adriana Saftoiu. After
Atanasiu had claimed during a July news interview that he
knew presidential aides were leaked negative information
about him to the Romanian media, two alleged victims,
Saftoiou and Deputy Eugene Bejinaru filed formal complaints.
Atanasiu has been replaced on an acting basis by MOD State
Secretary Claudiu Dobritsoiu. If Atanasiu is not reinstated,
SIPDIS
a new Defense Minister must be named within 45 days under
Romanian law.
2. (C) In a separate--but related--move, the National
Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) began investigations of the
outgoing Chief of the General Staff, Eugen Badalan, following
an investigation conducted by the Defense Ministry's
Anti-Fraud Section. Badalan is accused of damaging state
interests by exchanging scrapped army vehicles for tires from
the Tofan Group in the year 2000. The case against Badalan
and 11 other individuals, including the head of the army's
logistics agency, was the first case investigated by the MOD
Anti-Fraud Section. Badalan has been relieved of his duties
and has been replaced by Vice Admiral Gheorghe Marin, former
Chief of Staff of the Romanian Navy.
3. (C) The chairman of the commission that investigated Gen.
Badalan, Col. Tene, confirmed to Poloff September 11 that
Defense Minister Atanasiu had personally initiated the
Badalan investigation following a request from the DNA. Tene
said that while the DefMin's approval is not required to
forward a case to the DNA, it does require the approval of
the person who appoints the investigative commission--who was
in fact the DefMin. Tene said that the section had finalized
two investigations and was conducting four additional
investigations of high-ranking past and current military
officers, including a sitting Senator from the Social
Democratic Party (PSD). (Note: While he did not specify whom
was under investigation, PSD Senator Mahail Popescu, the
former CHOD, is one of the few individuals who could fit this
description.)
4. (C) Comment: Atanasiu's brazen admission of spying on
fellow government officials provided Basescu an opportunity
to move him out of the way after the Defense Minister's break
with the President and the Romanian military over Romania's
Iraq troop presence. Atanasiu--a close political ally of
Prime Minister Taraceanu-- has announced he will challenge
his suspension in court, but odds are he will not return to
the Ministry. Given the DefMin's personal involvement in
opening a six-year old case against former CHOD Badalan,
chances that the first case initiated by the MOD's Anti-Fraud
Section was a random event are low. This week's twin
shake-up at the Ministry of Defense will provide political
theater in coming weeks, but it is first and foremost a
reflection of the continuing bitter political competition
between the President and the Prime Minister. While the
changes are unlikely to have a major effect on Romania,s
overall security orientation, the two palaces have competing
visions of defense policy priorities and we will need to stay
fully engaged in looking after our own equities in the weeks
and months ahead. End Comment.
Taplin