President Iohannis: Budgets of intelligence services are not rich

President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday stated that the budgets of intelligence services, as approved by the Supreme Council of Country Defence (CSAT), are not rich, as they were calculated to cover the usual expenses of these institutions, such as salaries. 

"In relation to the services, there were no significant increases. The budgets are meant, first of all, to cover such usual expenses as salaries. In what concerns the capital investments part, the government provided the minimum for now, while hoping to be able to provide more in the future. So these are not rich budgets, to say so," Iohannis said at the Cotroceni Palace. 

On the other hand, he maintained the Presidential Administration received more money from the budget only because the Cotroceni Palace needs rehabilitation. 

"Yes, it is needed [the rehabilitation - editor's note]. This is an old project, from 2015. Everybody agrees that the rehabilitation must be done. One of the buildings cannot be used at all. However, it seems that the previous governments believed the Presidential Administration did not need money, that it can go on like this, based on only sympathies. But we also have very concrete needs and the increase is insignificant, anyway, to say so," said the head of the state. 

CSAT on Tuesday issued a positive opinion on the budget proposals for 2020 of the institutions operating in national security and defence. CSAT analyzed the proposals for the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Services and the Guard and protection Services, and gave its positive opinion.