Disclosures from Revolution File – How did Ceausescu react when learning that Ion Iliescu had taken over the country’s leadership?

The Revolution File indictment, a file whereby former President Ion Iliescu is prosecuted for crimes against humanity, includes the testimony of several officers with the Targoviste garrison, where former communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was judged and executed. The officers have told the prosecutors about the Ceausescu spouses’ reaction when learning that Ion Iliescu had taken over the country’s leadership: “Who? That Soviet spy? You are the one who did not let me finish him up!” Nicolae Ceausescu said.

According to ziare.com, the officers have recalled the moments spent by the Ceausescu spouses in Targoviste. The military prosecutors argue “it was a simulated criminal trial which had the presidential pair executed.”

“On December 24, 1989, at the Defence Ministry’s offices, the political-military decision group from CFSN (made up by Ion Iliescu, Silviu Brucan, Nicolae Militaru and Gelu Voican Voiculescu) decided that on December 25, 1989 a simulated trial should be organized resulting in sentencing and immediate execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu,” the indictment reads.

After their execution, the political power was taken over by a pro-Soviet group, previously established, made up by the nomenclature marginalized by Nicolae Ceausescu and the pro-Soviet military (with studies completed in the USSR), who needed to be legitimized in front of the people, the prosecutors say.

Lieutenant-major Iulian Stoica, former head of research with the Army Unit 01417 in Targoviste, has recollected a discussion between Elena and Nicolae Ceausescu, after learning that Ion Iliescu had taken over the leadership of Romania. “Upon their request, I told the Ceausescu spouses what was broadcasted on TV earlier. (…) When I told him about Ion Iliescu, Nicolae Ceausescu got mad and said: Who? That Soviet spy? Looking at Elena Ceausescu, he said: You are the one who did not let me finish him up! Now he is the one to finish us up.”

The same discussion was recounted by Major Ion Mares, deputy of the army unit commander: “I returned to my office, where the Ceausescu spouses were kept and we had a discussion. Nicolae Ceausescu asked who leads the Army and I told him that, as far as I’ve seen on TV, it was General Militaru and he asked who he is. Elena Ceausescu answered that he is a Soviet agent. They asked who leads the country and Major Tecu told them it was Ion Iliescu. Ceausescu became nervous and shouted at Elena: I told you to terminate him, you did not listen, you said it is enough to marginalize him!”

The indictment reads that it was a simulated criminal trial, which did not ensure the elementary procedural rights, well-known, the former head of state did not admit to the judges-panel’s right to judge them and repeatedly requested to be judged by the Great National Assembly, adevarul.ro also reports.

“Finally, he and Ceausescu Elena were sentenced to death by execution, without the right to appeal and were consequently executed at the Army Unit 01427 Targoviste,” the investigators say.

The prosecutors argue that the killing, on December 25, 1989, of Elena and Nicolae Ceausescu, after a criminal trial which did not meet the elementary procedural rights “was integral part of the misleading actions carried out by the political-military group (the CFSN and MoD decision-makers) at the helm of the state with the aim to get legitimized in front of the Romanian people, to cover their pro-Soviet positions and the previously built up structure of their power.”

By misinformation and diversions – a fake context was built up, having as result the execution of the Ceausescu spouses.

Ion Iliescu and Gelu Voican Voiculescu are charged with crimes against humanity in the Revolution File.