{"id":11745,"date":"2026-08-28T11:00:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T11:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/?p=11745"},"modified":"2026-08-28T11:00:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T11:00:45","slug":"journalistic-investigation-raises-questions-about-romanian-security-chief-lucian-pahontus-pre-1989-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/?p=11745","title":{"rendered":"Journalistic investigation raises questions about Romanian security chief Lucian Pahon\u021bu\u2019s pre-1989 past"},"content":{"rendered":"

The latest investigation by\u00a0journalists from Recorder<\/a> uncovered that\u00a0the influential chief of the Protection and Guard Service (SPP),\u00a0Lucian Pahon\u021bu,\u00a0was an officer in the Securitate troops before 1989, prompting additional checks by the\u00a0National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (CNSAS).<\/p>\n

The journalistic investigation alleges that Pahon\u021bu, who currently leads a lesser-known military service charged with the protection of Romanian dignitaries, was with his platoon in the repression deployment against protesters who gathered on December 21, 1989, to take down dictator Nicolae Ceau\u0219escu.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to several documents uncovered by Recorder, Lucian Pahon\u021bu was present that night in the area of the Intercontinental barricade, where armed troops killed 48 people and arrested hundreds of protesters.<\/p>\n

Reacting to the revelations, CNSAS vice president M\u0103d\u0103lin Hodor said that the SPP chief did not submit, as required by law, a declaration on his own responsibility stating whether or not he was a collaborator or operative of the Securitate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing this new request from the press, CNSAS carried out these checks, and just the other day we received the responses. This time, the response from the Interior Ministry, including from the Gendarmerie, is much, much more extensive than what they had told us so far,\u201d Hodor explained.<\/p>\n

However, there is no certainty that the files are complete even now. Moreover, Pahon\u021bu\u2019s involvement in repressions still has to be proven, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mere fact that you worked for the Securitate or were an officer in the Securitate Troops does not, according to the law, automatically give you the status of a \u2018Securitate operative.\u2019 To have this status, you must also have violated fundamental freedoms, participated in political police actions, monitored citizens, manipulated files, all these things in writing, and these are evidence of your activity carried out against Romanian citizens during the communist period. If these documents cannot be found, the status of operative cannot be proven,\u201d explained M\u0103d\u0103lin Hodor, cited by Euronews Romania<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Who is Lucian Pahon\u021bu?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

SPP head since 2005, Pahon\u021bu has amassed a disproportionate amount of influence in national politics. In 2024, he turned 60 and was placed in reserve as a four-star general, but kept his position as head of the SPP. He was not changed by Nicusor Dan once he took office, and in total, Lucian Pahon\u021bu served three presidents and 15 governments, with what seems to be little control over his activity. Over the years, Pahon\u021bu was also accused of interfering in party politics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most influential and longest-serving head of a secret service in Romania has remained at the top of the Romanian state for more than 20 years, managing to polish his CV and hide the most sensitive part of his military career,\u201d the Recorder investigation said.<\/p>\n

By reconstructing the SPP chief’s biography, Recorder found that he began his military career as the nephew of a prominent communist general and served as an officer in the Securitate Troops from 1987 to 1990.<\/p>\n

Aside from the December 1989 actions, the current head of the SPP was allegedly also involved in the events of June 13, 1990, when hundreds of people were beaten and arrested by law enforcement forces in University Square in Bucharest.<\/p>\n

In response, Recorder journalists said that Lucian Pahon\u021bu avoided answering the questions sent to him regarding the information concerning his biography and limited himself to saying that \u201chis entire activity was carried out in accordance with legal norms and with the solid principles governing the activity of military personnel, such as loyalty and devotion to the country, honor, dignity and integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Defended by president Nicu\u0219or Dan<\/strong><\/h4>\n

During statements given on Thursday, August 27, president Nicu\u0219or Dan was asked about the situation of SPP chief Lucian Pahon\u021bu. He argued that the issue was blown out of proportion. The head of state said that, following the information that appeared in the press, he read the article on which the revelations about Lucian Pahon\u021bu were based, but did not identify elements supporting the headline of the material.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t know what the scandal is. I saw a press article with a headline that is not justified by the content,\u201d Dan said, and indicated that Lucian Pahon\u021bu would remain in office.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The president also said that \u201cthe repression of the demonstrations during the Revolution and the Mineriad is a stain on Romania\u2019s history\u201d and that \u201cany person who carried out repression has no place in a position in the Romanian state.\u201d However, Nicu\u0219or Dan mentioned, \u201cMr. Pahon\u021bu is not in this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The head of state also emphasized that the SPP is not a secret service. \u201cSPP is not a secret service. It is a guard service. Mr. Pahon\u021bu, according to Romanian law, when he was appointed at the president\u2019s proposal, at the CSAT\u2019s proposal 21 years ago, CSAT conducted a check, including at CNSAS, to see whether or not he had engaged in political police,\u201d Nicu\u0219or Dan said.<\/p>\n

M\u0103d\u0103lin Hodor, historian and vice-president of the College of the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (CNSAS), contradicted Dan\u2019s latter statement. According to M\u0103d\u0103lin Hodor, there is no legal provision allowing the CSAT to request that CNSAS vet a person appointed to head a secret service. In Lucian Pahon\u021bu\u2019s case, the ex officio procedure would have been delayed by the lack of a declaration on his own responsibility and by blockages in the process of declassification, Hodor added on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In response to the president\u2019s statements, Recorder noted in a Facebook post<\/a> that \u201cit has become sufficiently clear that general Pahon\u021bu does not even need to defend himself. Because he has a president at his disposal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reactions to the Pahon\u021bu case<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Numerous reactions from politicians and public figures emerged after the Recorder investigation into the past of Lucian Pahon\u021bu and after president Nicu\u0219or Dan\u2019s statements on the subject.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Interim prime minister and Liberal (PNL) leader Ilie Bolojan said, In an interview with Cotidianul<\/a>, that the events of 1989 must be clarified and that \u201ceveryone is responsible for their own actions.\u201d He noted that evaluating the SPP falls under the authority of the Presidential Administration and argued that term limits should be introduced to prevent concerns about undue influence, adding that he would support such a measure, News.ro<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n

The leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, George Simion, said Pahon\u021bu contributed to Nicu\u0219or Dan\u2019s victory in the 2025 presidential elections. He also claimed that the popular support for Dan, who bested him in the second round of the elections, was constructed through manipulation.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Dominic Fritz, leader of the reformist center-right Union Save Romania (USR) Party, said that the allegations regarding Lucian Pahon\u021bu were very serious. He emphasized that Pahon\u021bu must clarify the allegations regarding his involvement in the events of December 1989 and in the repression of the protests during the Mineriad.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not just about one man, but about an entire system. We have to find out which institutions covered up the truth. If it is confirmed, who knew what, when, and why there was no declaration of non-collaboration, although it was required by law. We have to find all the answers,\u201d Dominic Fritz said, cited by Digi24<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Former president Traian B\u0103sescu, who worked with Pahontu, said he was surprised that the SPP head was involved in the 1989 events. He argued that the Recorder investigation does not actually accuse him of having participated in the repression against the population. However, it is probably time for him to leave the leadership of the SPP, B\u0103sescu also said, according to TVRInfo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Former prime minister Ludovic Orban said that the former presidents of Romania were no doubt informed about Pahon\u021bu\u2019s past, and argued that the latter must be dismissed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aside from Orban, 25 NGOs publicly called on president Dan to immediately remove Lucian Pahon\u021bu from his position as head of the SPP. A protest<\/a> was also announced on Friday, August 28.<\/p>\n

radu@romania-insider.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

(Photo source: Inquam Photos|Octav Ganea)<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The latest investigation by\u00a0journalists from Recorder uncovered that\u00a0the influential chief of the Protection and Guard Service (SPP),\u00a0Lucian Pahon\u021bu,\u00a0was an officer in the Securitate troops before 1989, prompting additional checks by the\u00a0National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (CNSAS). The journalistic investigation alleges that Pahon\u021bu, who currently leads a lesser-known military service charged with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11745\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ofero.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}