Romania to make public secret police files

BUCHAREST, Romania, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Romania will make public files of the former communist secret police, a move necessary before Bucharest joins the European Union.

In making the announcement, President Traian Basescu also rejected accusations he himself was an agent for the dreaded Securitate police of the late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

"Give me my Securitate file, and I will make it public," Basescu said. "I signed no commitment to the Securitate, I gave no information to any Securitate officer," the president said, Rompres, the national news agency, reported Thursday.

Basescu said the files' declassification was necessary before Romania becomes a full member of the European Union next year.

Basescu's remarks were in response to allegations made Tuesday by Conservative party leader Dan Voiculescu, who claimed he was certain Basescu was a Securitate collaborator.

There are about 1.5 million files in the police archives.

Basescu said Romanians have wanted the Securitate files made public over the past 15 years, but due to various reasons, including national security, it has not happened.