A previous Romanian prosecutor asserts that the acoustic technology reportedly utilized in Belgrade last Saturday is an upgraded variant of what was employed during the 1989 Communist revolution in Romania.
The ex-head of Romania's Military Prosecutor's Office, Catalin Ranco Pitu, has informed INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL that The acoustic device said to have been employed during the large-scale demonstration The setup in Belgrade on March 15 resembled the configuration employed by the administration of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu during the Romanian Revolution in December 1989.
Pitu dedicated six years to researching the 1989 uprising, an event that resulted in the downfall of Ceaușescu and the end of communism in Romania.
He informed INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL that the identical technique of audio manipulation was utilized during a large pro-Ceausescu gathering orchestrated by the Communist government in Bucharest on December 21, 1989.
The aim of the rally was to persuade Romanians of the "rightness" of Ceausescu's policies and to portray the demonstrations in Timisoara, which had started a few days earlier, as un-patriotic acts against Romania.
Low-frequency sound
"At that gathering, members of a specialized psychological operations unit from Romania stepped in with a tape recorder playing low-frequency noises through the audio setup," Pitu stated to INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL.
This instance signaled the beginning of the Romanian Revolution in Bucharest. The following day, Ceaușescu escaped from the city. He was eventually apprehended and executed three days after that, on December 25th, in Târgoviște.
Approximately 1,200 individuals perished, and roughly 4,000 suffered severe injuries during the Romanian Revolution.
Higher tech level; same basic idea
While investigating the Romanian Revolution, Pitu interviewed numerous eyewitnesses along with specialists in military equipment.
He said that the description of the chaos caused by sound waves back in 1989 was quite similar to scenes in Belgrade last weekend.
"Many individuals experienced physical discomfort in their stomach region and were engulfed in complete panic for several minutes," he stated, referring to those who participated in the gathering in Bucharest back in 1989.
Serbian residents who talked to INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL mentioned that they initially encountered a short, strange sound and experienced tremors, which made them feel an instant threat, leading to panic and prompting them to run away.
Pitu mentioned that despite the advancements over 35 years, the core concept still persists, serving as an instrument for what can be described as "psychological warfare."
"In my opinion, What recent events took place in Belgrade? "Can be attributed to the utilization of technology for controlling crowds via exposure to specific sound waves," he stated.
The reality emerged after three decades.
The reality concerning the employment of sound technology against Romanian demonstrators came to light more than thirty years following the revolution.
During his inquiry, Pitu conversed with members of the specialized psychological operations team. These individuals acknowledged employing crowd control methods that relied on auditory means.
Nevertheless, he failed to establish who had authorized the use of this technology.
"In logical terms, such an instruction would likely originate from the upper echelons of the Romanian military, considering the intricacy involved in executing this maneuver — this was not a task for amateurs," clarified Pitu.
He believes that such an instruction in Serbia would also necessitate approval from the authorities.
"Such information would have to originate from either the military or law enforcement agencies because civilians do not possess this kind of technology. The situation is more complex than it appears," he explained.
Rejections from the Serbian administration
At first, the Serbian administration refuted owning such devices.
Two days later, though, opposition legislator Marinika Tepic published a document suggesting that the Interior Ministry had actually acquired two kinds of sound cannons She additionally shared an image purportedly depicting one attached to a gendarmerie’s all-terrain vehicle.
The Interior Minister, Ivica Dacic, subsequently acknowledged that the ministry possesses what are known as long-range acoustic devices (LRAD), yet he refuted claims that these devices were utilized.
"These systems are kept in our warehouses, untouched in their boxes," stated Dacic.
The Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, stated that several items were acquired but not utilized. He also mentioned that should these claims be disproven, he would resign from his position as president.
“No, nobody utilized it. Nobody used it at all. You haven’t presented me with even a shred of evidence. And you lack evidence because you cannot locate proof of something that does not exist,” Vucic stated.
Can utilizing this type of technology be considered illegal?
However, can an argument be constructed based on testimonies and the acknowledgment of ownership even without visual proof of ongoing usage? Pitu thinks this is possible.
“However, from this stage onwards, the inquiry will need to get much more intricate,” stated Pitu. “At first, it’s sufficient to converse with eyewitnesses and determine if tampering actually took place. Based on what I observed on TV, it seemed genuine: people do not typically sprint in contrary directions along the identical road spontaneously,” he commented.
Pitu stated that it cannot be determined if employing this type of technology constitutes a criminal act, particularly since nobody sustained serious injuries. He explained that the deciding factor hinges on whether these systems have been legally mandated or restricted under current laws.
In Romania, though, employing audio systems for influencing crowds is a component of what’s referred to as the "Revolution Dossier." This case aims at uncovering the truth behind these practices. key individuals involved in the December 1989 events to justice —but only, as Pitu explains, because that marked a crucial moment during the revolution when 1,200 individuals lost their lives.
Thirty-five years following Romania's revolution, numerous families of the victims continue to await justice, with the case still pending in court.
Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan
Author: Sanja Kljajic (based in Novi Sad)
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