Political parties and the updating of national security laws

The national security laws should be updated, President Klaus Iohannis said at the end of consultations with the parliamentary parties on the legislation in the field.

Leyla Cheamil, 14.04.2016, 13:42

The European countries, as well as states on other continents, seem fragile in face of the Jihadist offensive, which seems to gain magnitude. Terror attacks, carried out in the name of religion hit the very heart of Europe, generating panic and uncertainty. The violent attacks which threw France, Belgium, Turkey as well as other countries into mourning prompt the line authorities to take a series of measures to prevent such attacks from happening in the future.

To that end, Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, has held consultations with the parliamentary parties on the national security laws, in an effort to reach consensus before starting public debates on the issue. The laws in the field can be drafted and issued only if they are assumed by the majority of politicians and backed by civil society, the president has underlined. Following the consultations, it was agreed that two package of laws will be initiated. A first law package in the field will be sent by the Government to Parliament for debate in May, whereas a second package is to be drafted by a special parliamentary committee.

President Klaus Iohannis has underlined: “A first package, made up of three bills, is at an advanced stage of debate, at the government. It refers to ways to improve the anti-terror law, the second bill clarifies the situation of pre-pay cards and the third one refers to IT security. During the talks with the parties, we reached the conclusion that these bills can be finalised in the current parliamentary session. The second package contains equally important bills, but they are not at such an advanced stage.

The parties attending the consultations agreed that a legislative reform is needed in the national security field. Social Democratic leader, Liviu Dragnea, has announced that two party members have been designated to take part in the debates on the new bills.

Liviu Dragnea: “We want to be pro-active, and two of our party colleagues are ready and willing to effectively take part in the drafting of the laws, a process that is now carried out by the Government.

In turn, the Liberals want to keep a balance between the citizens right to private life and national security, the co-president of the National Liberal Party, Alina Gorghiu has said: “The legislation should be updated, but these updating and adjustment cant be made at the initiative of only one parliamentary group. Weve had registered another failure, that is why the delegation of the National Liberal Party agreed to participate, alongside representatives of other parties, in the committee which will draft the new legislation.

The countrys president and the representatives of the parliamentary parties have also approached another issue, which refers to the need of having a stronger parliamentary control, an idea backed by the leader of the National Union for the Progress of Romania, Valeriu Steriu, according to whom, there should be only one parliamentary committee to control the activity of the intelligence services.