Former head of the Protection and Guard Service (SPP), Dumitru Iliescu chopped in the row stirred by PSD chairman Liviu Dragnea’s accusations against incumbent SPP head, Lucian Pahontu.
Dumitru Iliescu claims that the SPP’s subordination has been permanently the ‘target of some top ranking officials from the Interior Ministry’s helm.’
“Although I am not close to Mr. Dragnea, I know he is a balanced man, he is hard to convince if you don’t have arguments (…) I cannot doubt the fact that he is convinced the information he’s got on SPP is true (…) What I also know is that this structure’s subordination has been permanently the target of some top ranking people at the helm of the Interior Ministry,” the former SPP director posted on Facebook.
Dumitru Iliescu also says that, although Dragnea had turned down the SPP protection when he became Chamber speaker, he had though asked for an adjutant whom he trusted.
“As far as I know, Mr. Dragnea was initially informed by a former SPP officer (…) In 2015, when former PM Victor Ponta was hospitalized in Turkey, Mr. Dragnea paid him a visit. The SPP officer accompanied him, but illegally. He took leave, didn’t request for permission to go abroad, according to the military rules, and didn’t inform the SPP leadership about this mission. After he returned to Romania, the officer was fired,” Iliescu stated.
“After the officer has been removed from active duty, Mr. Dragnea helped this former SPP officer to be appointed secretary of state in the Government and member of several managing boards. Shortly after that, the officer was contacted by officers of another intelligence structure and they proposed him to collaborate with them. From that moment on, Mr. Dragnea has been supplied with information regarding the illegal actions of the SPP leadership, targeted against the protected dignitaries. I don’t know if the information is correct or not, but I know the way a false information can be presented as correct,” Iliescu added.
The former SPP head says a parliamentary inquiry should probe into this and decide if it’s a manipulation and misinformation action. “The Parliament, through the qualified special committees, needs to carry out an inquiry in this respect and hear the protection officers and the adjutants and to find out if the SPP heads have asked them information about dignitaries, others than the ones needed to accomplish their protection missions. At the same time, the competent body within the General Prosecutor’s Office should start investigations to find the persons within SPP whose illegal actions have prompted the Parliament speakers the PM and the ministers to give up state protection, as this decision is obviously jeopardizing the National Security,” the former SPP head concluded.
The former SPP officer mentioned by Iliescu as having informed Dragnea is Adrian Mladinoiu.
In retort, Liviu Dragnea, the one who has repeatedly accused Lucian Pahontu of being politically involved, said that he would abstain from making a ‘malicious comment’ against Dumitru Iliescu, as he is ‘an old man’. Dragnea also transmitted those who are endorsing “the lost cause” of Lucian Pahontu to be close-mouthed.
“I don’t understand why he is getting into this, why he defends a lost cause. It’s very strange. He doesn’t know what I have talked with Mr. Mladinoiu, (…) but if Mladinoiu is called for hearings in parliament, he will be able to say interesting things, like other former SPP employees. I suggest all those who are trying to support Mr. Pahontu’s lost and desperate cause a friendly advice: to be more close-mouthed,” Dragnea stated.