The performance of the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) can be assessed as poor due to the failed reform and mismanagement, said former SIS deputy director Alexandru Balan. In a press conference hosted by IPN, Alexandru Balan noted that changes in the management of the institution are needed.
According to Alexandru Balan, SIS in 2023 strengthened its capacities as a result of the adoption by Parliament of three draft laws through which the Service obtained quite broad powers and the budget allocated to SIS in 2023 was about 423 million lei, by 22 million higher than a year before.
Experts of the intelligence services of the UK, Austria and Slovenia, who analyzed the adopted laws on SIS, concluded that they give the institution too broad powers and this will lead to the inefficiency of SIS and also to abuse of power. The Venice Commission issued an opinion similar to that of independent experts. These also make a comparison with the intelligence services of the European Union and NATO and specify that the services can be efficient if the tasks are distributed reasonably and coherently, Alexandru Balan noted.
According to the former SIS deputy director, the implementation of the SIS reform requested by President Maia Sandu – which was to ensure transparency in the Service’s work, creation of an effective parliamentary control mechanism, increase in citizens’ confidence and streamlining of regional and international cooperation – mostly failed.
Alexandru Balan said that a number of faults in the SIS’s work were noticed in 2023 and this points to shortcomings in the planning and taking of the necessary measures. In this connection, he noted that the Counterespionage Division of SIS should handle the case of external funding and the engaging of representatives of the Russian intelligence services. But this Division regrettably hasn’t taken particular actions in this regard. In his opinion, the lack of results in the counterintelligence work explains the inefficiency in the coordination and approval of such measures vertically, namely by the SIS deputy director who is responsible for operational activities.
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