ROMANIA: A former Romanian spy has accused several leading politicians, including two former prime ministers, of collaborating with the communist-era secret police, just as the country overhauls its intelligence services before EU accession in January.
The allegations were made by Liviu Turcu, who was chief of foreign intelligence in the so-called Securitate, and recently returned to Romania after defecting to the West in 1989, the year revolution toppled communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
The most senior politician named by Mr Turcu was Adrian Nastase, Romania's prime minister from 2000-2004, who was defeated in presidential elections two years ago and has since been investigated on corruption charges.
Mr Turcu claimed Mr Nastase had performed the "whole range of collaborative roles, from informer to undercover officer" and had trained to be a secret agent abroad.
Mr Nastase accused Mr Turcu of launching a politically motivated attack on enemies of the current reformist president, Traian Basescu.
Mr Turcu said many politicians had incriminating evidence wiped from their files after 1989, but he told the council investigating Securitate collaboration that it could find unadulterated versions of the relevant dossiers in military archives.
"If they are impartial, [ they] could either find these documents, or hold liable those known to have destroyed them, and find out from them exactly what has been destroyed."
Poet Mircea Dinescu, a member of the investigative council, said: "Liviu Turcu gave us a fishing line and not a fish. We hope we will use it properly."
Liberal senator Varujan Vosganian was forced to abandon his bid to become Romania's EU commissioner last week after Mr Turcu accused him of collaborating with the Securitate, a charge he denies.