RO opposition party USR warns new Communication Code opens door to abuses

Romanian opposition party USR announced that it had referred to the Constitutional Court the Communications Code in the form drafted by the Government and endorsed by the lawmakers due to a provision that "excessively widens" the range of electronic communications interceptions.

Specifically, USR representatives point out that Article 10 of the Code provides to the intelligence services' "excessive access to information traffic on servers in Romania."

Currently, the intelligence services (SRI) can search the information systems but must present a warrant beforehand. "The Communications Code is a necessary law, but it must not contain abuses," USR claims.

The Communication Code includes provisions of the nature of the Code of Criminal Procedure or national security, which are areas not addressed by this law, USR argued. In this context, USR insists on "reasonable control over the secret services," the interim president of USR, Cătălin Drulă, said, quoted by Agerpres.

The Senate adopted, on March 2, as a decision-making chamber, the Government's draft law on electronic communications, by which the providers of electronic hosting services with IP resources have the obligation to support the law enforcement bodies and the bodies with attributions in the field of national security.

(Photo: Octav Ganea/ Inquam Photos)