UM 0215

UM 0215 (Military Unit 0215, coloquially known as Doi și-un sfert, "Two and a quarter" or "Quarter past two") was a Romanian intelligence agency during the 1990s built upon the Bucharest branch of the Socialist Republic of Romania's Securitate.[1] Its main purpose was to subvert the opposition,[2] particularly during the Golaniad mass protests in Bucharest. The agency was also involved in the violent interventions against the protesters (the Mineriad).[3]

Creation

Created in February 1990 with President Ion Iliescu's approval, it was made up of Securitate officers who had been placed in reserve following the Romanian Revolution of 1989.[4]

Activities

The agency received criticism from the media, as well as from Western governments and NGOs and journalists for having ex-Securitate members and for its modus operandi.[4] It collected information on politicians, journalists and trade union leaders, as well as Romanians abroad and foreigners in Romania,[1] being accused of being a political police.

Dissolution

In 1998, it was disbanded and, following background checks from a governmental commission, some of its agents were taken over by the newly created Direcția Generală de Informații și Protecție Internă, a criminal intelligence agency.[4] The number of staff of the new agency was much lower than the one of UM 0215, going from 1440 to just 150 people.[1]

The proposal to disband it completely was not taken into consideration because it was feared that the agents would join the Greater Romania Party.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Shentov, Ognian (2004-01-01). Partners in Crime: The Risks of Symbiosis Between the Security Sector and Organized Crime in Southeast Europe. CSD. ISBN 9789544771157.
  2. 1 2 Gallagher, Tom (2008-03-01). Modern Romania: The End of Communism, the Failure of Democratic Reform, and the Theft of a Nation. NYU Press. p. 174. ISBN 9780814732014.
  3. ↑ Cox, Terry (2013-09-13). Reflections on 1989 in Eastern Europe. Routledge. ISBN 9781317980391.
  4. 1 2 3 Bruneau, Thomas C.; Boraz, Steven C. (2009-04-20). Reforming Intelligence: Obstacles to Democratic Control and Effectiveness. University of Texas Press. p. 225. ISBN 9780292783416.
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