Protection and Guard Service

Protection and Guard Service (Romanian: Serviciul de Protecţie şi Pază, abbreviated SPP) is the Romanian institution designated to protect and defend dignitaries, as well as their family or close relatives. The institution operates independently, although it collaborates closely with the Romanian Ministry of National Defense and other secret services. Its motto is Semper Fidelis.

Romanian: Serviciul de Protecţie şi Pază
Agency overview
Formed	7 May 1990
Headquarters	Bucharest
Employees	Classified
Annual budget	EUR 57,5 million (2020)[1]
Agency executive	Lucian-Silvan Pahonţu, Director Daniel Ion Bălașa, Deputy Director
Website	www.spp.ro

Activity

SPP is a vital institution for the national security. It operates under Law 191/1998. The institution and its employees are mainly required to:

• Defend dignitaries and their families, within legal limitations
• Defend diplomats and heads of state during their stay in Romania (including airspace, water and the additional islands)
• Defend the residences of the above-mentioned category
• Defend any premises in which the above-stated category is visiting

The institution must respect all laws, as well as the Constitution. The institution takes orders and fulfills requests given by the Supreme Council of National Defense.

History

The institution has been officially operating since May 7, 1990. The concept of such a service came up right after the fall of the communist regime. Along the years, the institution has been keeping a low-profile, with little information available about it.

See also

• Secţia Intervenţii Anti-Teroriste, the special unit of the Protection and Guard Service
• 5th Directorate of the Securitate, the department of the Securitate charged with the same tasks during the communist regime