Romanian leader Liviu Dragnea called for authorities to act about journalist Dan Tapalaga because G4Media.ro revealed the Dancila Government discussed a secret memorandum on moving embassy to Israel

The leader of the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea has called for authorities to act about journalist Dan Tapalaga, because G4Media.ro revealed that the Dancila Government had discusses a secret memorandum on moving the Romanian Embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. However, the author of the article was not Dan Tapalaga, but Cristian Pantazi.

Asked in an interview with Romania TV news channel if somebody would notify authorities in this case, Dragnea said, according to HotNews.ro: “I’ve heard about that memorandum in public talk, the very day it was adopted, because it is a confidential document. And I’m asking – I’ve heard from Mr. Dan Tapalaga, the great journalist, G4 or whatever it’s called, who published this information that the Government adopted a confidential memorandum with that content – how did he receive that information? The [Romanian Intelligence Service] SRI, the [Special Telecommunication Service] STS – do they have any explanation for this? Isn’t this a security incident? Who among government clerks or government members gave that information? Because I didn’t have it”

Asked whether an investigation would be launched in this case, Dragnea replied: “I’m curious, because the government can’t do it”.
Realitatea TV news channel also reported on its website that, asked if someone would notify authorities in this case, Dragnea replied: “I’m doing it now. We speak of a confidential document. Who in the government passed the document? I didn’t have it. How did it get to Mr. Tapalaga? Did he have access? Let’s see, is anybody starting an investigation? Of course not”.

It is for the first time that a top official of the Romanian state [Liviu Dragnea serves as Speaker of the House of Deputies] calls for an investigation of a journalist for something he had published.

G4Media.ro clarifications:

– G4Media.ro reported exclusively on Wednesday, April 18, under the signature of Cristian Pantazi, quoting government sources, that the Dancila Government wanted to adopt a decision or memorandum to move the Romanian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. G4Media.ro did not publish the text of the official document.
– After the government session that day, the Government spokesman said he did not have any information about such an initiative
– A day later, on April 19, Liviu Dragnea confirmed the G4Media.ro revelation and announced in an interview with Antena 3 that the Government adopted in the Wednesday session a memorandum “deciding the start of procedures for the effective move of the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem”.