President nominates former PM to head Romania’s Foreign Intelligence Service

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has nominated Mihai Razvan Ungureanu as director of the country’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE). Ungureanu has previously served as head of SIE between 2007 and 2012. He also had the helm of the Government for about two months in early-2012. Under the Constitution, the President informed both chambers of the Parliament about his nomination, according to a statement of the Presidential Administration. The Parliament is to decide on this matter. “This nomination is an honor for me and I hope it was an informed choice. I would like the Parliament to offer me its vote, we’ll see what will happen from now on,” said Ungureanu, cited by local Mediafax. However, Social Democrat Party (PSD) senator Ilie Sarbu said the nomination is illegal from a procedural point of view and his party will vote against it. The position of SIE director is vacant since late-September 2014, when Teodor Melescanu resigned to run for president. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com