Court to decide whether Romania's central bank governor worked with the communist secret police

The Romanian body charged with investigating the documents of the former Communist secret services (Securitate), CNSAS, reportedly concluded last week that Romania's National Bank (BNR) governor Mugur Isarescu collaborated with the communist secret police.

CNSAS has filed a request to the Court of Appeal, in line with the procedures, asking it to rule on the status of BNR governor Isarescu as a former collaborator of Securitate, based on documents submitted, News.ro reported.

Three years ago, local newspaper România Libera wrote that Mugur Isarescu was a collaborator of the Securitate under the code name "Manole". At that time, CNSAS could not verify the BNR governor. In the meantime, the Parliament amended the law, adding the central bank governor among the public officials for whom this verification can be requested.

The BNR governor's advisor Adrian Vasilescu claims that Isarescu has received several decisions by which the CNSAS confirmed his non-collaboration with Securitate.

Mugur Isarescu, who has been leading the central bank since 1991 and briefly served as prime minister in 1999, worked at the Institute for Global Economy before 1989. Some claim that the institute was involved in international espionage operations.

(Photo source: Bnr.ro)