Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. Prosecutors arrest ex-SIS deputy chief in foiled Belarus-backed...

Prosecutors arrest ex-SIS deputy chief in foiled Belarus-backed espionage plot

September 9, 2025

  Alexandru Balan, former deputy director of the Moldovan Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), was detained on Tuesday by prosecutors with the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) on charges of treason and passing secret intel to the Belarusian KGB, judicial sources said.Balan was brought under escort to the DIICOT headquarters on Tuesday morning, and after almost eight hours of questioning, prosecutors decided to detain him for 24 hours.The former high-ranking SIS officer was apprehended in Timisoara on Monday and taken to Bucharest for questioning."The evidence provided reveals that, starting with 2024 and up to the present, the suspect, who previously held senior positions with the Intelligence and Security Service of the Republic of Moldova, was involved in activities of unauthorized disclosure of state secret information to representatives of a foreign power, specifically officers from the Belarusian State Security Committee - KGB, engaging in activities likely to endanger the national security of Romania," DIICOT announced on Monday in a press release.Thus, between 2024 - 2025, the suspect met twice in Budapest with intelligence officers from the Republic of Belarus State Security Committee - KGB, there being reasonable suspicions that these meetings were aimed at the passage of instructions and payments for the services rendered.The investigation is being conducted under the coordination of EUROJUST, with the support of authorities from Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Republic of Moldova. 

Read in full - click here
NOCA: Contemporary art center to open in Romania's Oradea

NOCA (New Oradea Contemporary Art), a hub for to contemporary visual art, is set to open next month in Oradea, in northwestern Romania. It is meant as a "cultural lab dedicated to meetings between modern and contemporary art, multidisciplinary practices and events, and established and emerging artists." The center was founded by Oradea City Hall […]

Romanian Community Summit takes place in Chicago this month

Representatives from across the Romanian diaspora and officials from Romania and the United States will take part in this year’s Romanian Community Summit 2025 (RoSummit 2025), set to take place in Chicago on September 20. The event is organized through a partnership of the Romanian-American community in Chicago and other diaspora organizations. It will focus […]

Via Transilvanica: Long-distance trail crossing Romania could receive EEA and Norway Grants funding, minister says

Via Transilvanica, the long-distance trail stretching between Putna, in northern Romania, to Drobeta Turnu Severin, in the southern part of the country, could receive funding of EUR 6 – 7 million from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norway Grants 2021-2028, Investments and European Funds minister Dragoș Pîslaru told

Romania selects Teodora Ana Mihai's 'Traffic' as official submission for 2026 Oscars

Romania has chosen Teodora Ana Mihai’s Jaful Secolului/Traffic as its official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards. Starring Anamaria Vartolomei, Rareș Andrici, and Ionuț Niculae, the movie will be released in Romanian cinemas on September 23. The film, written by Palme d’Or winner Cristian Mungiu and directed by Mihai, […]

Romania stands in solidarity with Poland after Russian drones breach airspace, officials say

President Nicușor Dan and defense minister Ionuț Moșteanu said on Wednesday, September 10, that Romania stands in full solidarity with Poland after Russian drones crossed into its airspace overnight, calling the incident an unacceptable violation of a NATO ally's sovereignty and a dangerous escalation. The Polish military shot down the drones, 

Bucharest rises as cost-efficient hub for Global Capability Centres, study shows

Bucharest is emerging as one of Europe’s most attractive locations for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) as multinational companies seek lower costs and skilled talent amid tight labor markets in Western economies, according to a new study by Savills and CoreNet Global.  The Romanian capital ranked 14th among 27 global GCC destinations for office costs, averaging […]