AUR proposes term limits for Romanian intelligence and autonomous agency heads

The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has submitted a legislative proposal to Parliament aimed at limiting the duration and number of mandates for leaders of various intelligence services and autonomous public institutions. The bill proposes that directors of agencies including the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE), and the Special Telecommunications Service (STS) serve five-year terms, with a maximum of two mandates per person.

Senator Nicolae Vlahu, one of the project initiators, stated that these limits are intended to prevent the excessive concentration of power and the formation of influence circles within sensitive state security structures. The proposal also extends to the leadership of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), the National Audiovisual Council (CNA), and the National Council for Combating Discrimination.

Under the proposed law, even a partial mandate would be counted as a full term to prevent bypassing the legal limits. Critics of the initiative suggest that such interventions could undermine the stability and independence of autonomous authorities, particularly the central bank.