Journalist Emilia Sercan tells MPs: You failed in reforming state institutions

Journalist Emilia Sercan was on Tuesday for the second time in front of the deputies, this time at the Committee for Human Rights, after being heard on April 6 by the Culture Committee on the subject of violation of freedom of expression, rights to private life and other rights.

Together with the journalist, the Human Rights Committee invited the leaders of the Romanian Police and the General Directorate of Defence Intelligence (DGIA), who were not present at the meeting, so that the committee decided, unanimously, at the proposal of deputy Ludovic Orban, to formally ask the Ministers of Defense and Interior to order the participation of the two officials in a future meeting.

The deputies of all the parliamentary groups showed solidarity with the journalist, considering that the things reported by her should not happen to any other journalist or citizen and expressed their readiness, through interpellations or interventions, to ask for the views of the competent institutions.

Independent MP Violeta Alexandru said in the opening of the sitting that the members of the committee met after being notified about several aspects reported in the public space by Emilia Sercan regarding the violation of the right of petition, of the right to private life, as well as to the violation of the European regulations on personal data.

Journalist Emilia Sercan had, on this occasion, a message for the entire political class: "Ladies and gentlemen, you have failed to reform the state institutions, and in the mission to ensure a civil control over the institutions of force, to guarantee the safety of the citizens and to guarantee the freedom of the press. You are in the mission to ensure the promotion of competence, professionalism and values in politics and society, but you have had a great success in promoting obedience, incompetence and subservience, just as you were very successful when you came to power to represent party interests, group interests and personal interests".

The journalist then recalled that she wanted to report a theft to the Police, after which the Police "leak the information that is approved in the file, in the press".

Independent MP Ludovic Orban said that the presence of government officials at the parliamentary committees is not an optional one, and the absence of the guests "represents a serious violation of the obligations they have in the positions they hold and an escape from parliamentary control", which he was convinced "that it was carried out with the express consent of the ministers of interior and defense".

He drew attention to the fact that the General Prosecutor's Office has notified ex officio, which did not happen in other cases such as that of Victor Ponta or others.

"Apparently, the Prosecutor's Office is doing its job. In reality, the purpose of this self-referral is quite different - to confiscate the doctoral thesis and the other documents that are necessary lest it reach the CNATDCU (National Council of Attestation of University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates), so that it can pronounce on plagiarism. The second objective is to reassure the public that there are state institutions that work, although it has nothing to work on. (...) Mrs. Sercan issued this assessment based on a study that was made on many documents and which are a very credible support, that Mr. Ciuca plagiarized. What does the Prosecutor General's Office have to do with this?" the MP asked rhetorically.

In the opinion of AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians) deputy Dan Tanasa "it is obvious to want to intimidate" Emilia Sercan, and "the way of action is specific to the mafia clans".

PSD (Social Democratic Party) deputy Romulus Damian said that "the hearing turned into a war and an argument against Nicolae Ciuca", while noting that the journalist suffered an "abuse" over which the competent institutions will pronounce.