Today, February 19, the annual meeting of the Board of the Security and Intelligence Service took place. It discussed the SIS activity during 2020 and priorities for the current year. Maia SANDU - President of the Republic of Moldova, Aureliu CIOCOI - interim Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Ana REVENCO – Secretary of Supreme Security Council and Serghei SÎRBU – Chairman of the Committee for national security, defense and public order.
In his speech, the SIS Director, Alexandr ESAULENCO referred to the tasks undertaken by the institution in 2020 and special measures of functional competence that contributed to ensuring and maintaining the state security. He offered a retrospective of multiple challenges and dangers generated by internal and external factors, which had direct economic, social and political consequences on national interests and security of the Republic of Moldova. At the same time, he outlined the measures taken by the SIS to prevent and minimize the negative impact of the challenges. In this context, he thanked the staff for performing their duties with honesty and professionalism, for sacrifice during service missions and for their patriotism and devotion to the country.
Counterespionage and economic counterintelligence were also mentioned during the meeting. One of the strategic objectives in these fields focuses on combating internal and external factors that jeopardize energy security, financial market stability, national public budget and citizens. Another objective aims at optimizing and streamlining the mechanism for detection of intelligence and subversive activities that foreign intelligence services carry out against national security of the Republic of Moldova.
A significant increase in the flow of intelligence products to beneficiaries was another topic of discussion. In 2020, the recipients received well-founded operational analysis, as well as tangible results of special investigations, which strengthened the management process and response to security risks.
The SIS Director listed a series of priorities that will be implemented during 2021. The most important ones concern development and strengthening of institutional capacities, as well as maximum concentration on combating the corruption phenomenon that undermines national security, especially in public bodies and justice sector, as well as those associated to large-scale smuggling, money-laundering, misappropriation of government funds, compromising external investment projects etc. Particular attention will be paid to efficiency of the human resources management and improving the process of ensuring integrity of intelligence officers.
Maia SANDU, President of the Republic of Moldova, mentioned in her speech: “Сorruption is the main threat to the country, especially high level corruption – it makes Moldova poorer, weaker and more vulnerable. Over time, SIS was used in some cases for the benefit of narrow interests, not national ones. I will not tolerate such behaviour. Now, more than ever, it is necessary to work to rebuild the trust of citizens in public institutions. This is why, I will repeat my message for all public officials – I will support you. My colleagues and I will support the institutional reform so that worthy people and those of high integrity are promoted and nobody can force them to act against law. The Republic of Moldova needs a strong, proactive and efficient Intelligence Service.”
Aureliu CIOCOI, interim Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, thanked employees of the Security and Intelligence Service for their contribution in identification and prevention of risks to national security and reiterated the need to use all the legal levers to counteract any limitation of the efficiency and functionality of public bodies. The interim head of the Government advises to take all the necessary measures to strengthen national security of the Republic of Moldova.
At the end of the meeting, the SIS Board adopted a decision on discussed topics, provided proposals and set deadlines for their implementation.
Considering the evolution of the epidemiological situation in Moldova, the meeting of the SIS Board was organized in a restricted format, complying with safety rules. Therefore, only members of the SIS Board, heads of operational departments and guests of honour took part in the event.
