The National Intelligence Academy to be fundamentally reformed, SRI chief announces

Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) Director Eduard Hellvig has announced on Monday that the National Intelligence Academy, whose reputation has been damaged lately – because of the scandals of plagiarism – will go through a profound reform, equivalent to “a new beginning”.

In his speech at the opening of the academic year, the SRI director has told the students that the profession for which they prepare is one in which ethical behaviour is an essential component.

Eduard Hellvig said that substantial changes are made in terms of selection, personnel, procedures, control and academic guidance, “in order to regain the reputation that lately has suffered.”

The ‘Mihai Viteazul’ National Intelligence Academy has formed, over time, more than 20 generations of officers for the entire national intelligence community.

Over the past year, however, the institution has been hit by scandals of plagiarism. Several of Gabriel Oprea’s PhD candidates, with works already awarded the Ph.D title, were accused of plagiarism, while the former interior minister himself was stripped of his doctorate due to plagiarism.

Eight of Gabriel Oprea’s PhD candidates have asked to withdraw their Ph.D. titles, obtained under the direction of Gabriel Oprea at the Doctoral School of the SRI Academy. Among them politicians as Radu Stroe (former interior minister), Mihai Stănişoară (Presidential Adviser on defence, with the rank of minister), Romeo Raicu – PNL MP (formerly PDL) in the leadership of the SIE parliamentary committee, and Loredana Radu, granddaughter of Gabriel Oprea (Victor Ponta’s lawyer) and his secretary, Adela Popescu.

The ceremony on Monday at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Academy alongside was also attended by the SRI first deputy, Lieutenant General Florian Coldea.