Ex-SIS deputy Bălan allegedly plotted to discredit Maia Sandu and strain Moldova–Romania ties
Alexandru Bălan, the former second-in-command of the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) in the Republic of Moldova, was tried in Romania for attempted treason and the disclosure of state secrets. He was found in possession of several documents containing sensitive information relevant to Romanian intelligence services. According to sources from Digi24, Bălan allegedly conspired with agents from the Belarusian KGB to undermine Maia Sandu through propaganda and to create diplomatic tensions between Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
On March 19, the Romanian High Court of Cassation and Justice amended the Bucharest Court of Appeal's decision, placing Alexandru Bălan under house arrest and requiring him to wear a monitoring bracelet.
A statement obtained by Digi24 from the ongoing trials indicates that prosecutors discovered several documents that Alexandru Bălan had access to while working for the Romanian Intelligence Service (SIS) between 2013 and 2015. These documents included information notes sent by the Romanian services to their counterparts in the Republic of Moldova, as well as a file containing photos of active officers within the Romanian services.
The documents found on electronic devices owned by Alexandru Bălan are classified as “state secrets” at the “top secret” level.
Additionally, sources from Digi24 highlighted that, due to his previous position at SIS Moldova, Bălan was aware of the identities of several officers within the Romanian services, as well as sensitive information related to their operations.
Bălan also possessed documents prepared by the intelligence service of the neighboring state concerning Romania. According to sources close to the investigation, by possessing and providing this information to active KGB officers in Belarus, Alexandru Bălan created a vulnerability for Romania's national security.
Bălan planned to attack Maia Sandu and create tensions between Romania and the Republic of Moldova
The mentioned source reports that Bălan, who is under investigation for treason and for leaking classified information, communicated with officers of the Belarusian KGB using a method known as “draft boxes.” Rather than sending emails, which can be intercepted, Bălan and the Belarusian spies used the same email account to create messages in the “Drafts” folder without sending them. These messages remained stored in the joint account, accessible to both parties.
The drafts, written in Russian, contained information attributed to sources within the Ukrainian intelligence services or the Ukrainian military. This information predominantly focused on the political and military situation in Ukraine. However, one of the messages discovered by prosecutors referenced cooperation between the presidents of Romania and the Republic of Moldova, Nicușor Dan and Maia Sandu.
According to Digi24 sources, Bălan was planning to publish an article in international media to launch an information attack against the President of the Republic of Moldova ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections, with the intention of creating diplomatic tensions between the administrations in Bucharest and Chișinău.
