Bulgarian group Telelink Business Services (TBS) on Wednesday expressed surprise at CSAT’s decision to deny it a 5G license on the grounds that it would pose a threat to national security. TBS Group, which also provides IT services to the Defense Ministry’s Cyber ​​Command, said it was also working with defense ministries in other NATO countries and was waiting to see the reasons for CSAT’s decision.

• “Telelink Business Services (TBS) is a registered company (therefore transparent), a global systems integrator with a presence both in the region and in countries such as Germany or the United States.
• TBS works with clients worldwide in a variety of industries, including Ministries of Defense in various NATO countries, as well as institutions/agencies/companies that manage critical infrastructure and national security importance.
• We are therefore surprised by CSAT’s decision and we are interested to know the reasons for this decision, which we do not know at the moment.” Florin Iovu, Managing Director of TBS Romania, announced this to HotNews.ro on Wednesday.

The company CSAT considers risky provides IT services to MApN’s cyber team

HotNews.ro was the first to report that Telelink Business Services SRL, a company controlled by the TBS Group, one of the largest IT system integrators in Bulgaria, was denied CSAT permission to use 5G infrastructure equipment in Romania on the grounds that it would pose a threat to national security.

On the other hand, the same firm provides IT services for the Cyber ​​Command of the Ministry of Defense.

The company has IT contracts with government agencies and it was a surprise to discover two IT contracts recently won with the Ministry of Defense’s 02499 military unit.

This military unit is MApN’s Cyber ​​Defense Command.

Both tenders aimed to provide “HCI solutions for data centers” for virtualization and storage of large volumes of data in hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI – Hyper-converged infrastructure).

The solutions should allow automating repetitive tasks of MApN employees responsible for data center administration.

Both tenders, which were intended to conclude framework agreements for 2 years, were awarded to an association formed by Telelink Business Services SRL and Telelink Business Services EAD (parent company from Bulgaria), but after several appeals to the CNSC and legal proceedings in the Bucharest Court .

• read: Romania’s 5G security paradox: a company deemed risky by CSAT provides IT services to the MApN Cyber ​​Command

MApN Response: Solutions provided by TBS do not contain 5G components and do not pose a threat to national security

Upon request from HotNews.ro, the Ministry of Defense stated that the IT solutions to be provided to the MAPN Cyber ​​Defense Command by the company that denied CSAT access to 5G networks in Romania on the grounds of national security risk. , do not have 5G technical components. In addition, MApN states that it has not identified any risks to national security related to deals with this firm.

• “Currently, existing cooperation between the Cyber ​​Defense Command and Telelink Business Services SRL is limited to two framework agreements concluded in accordance with the current legislation in the field of public procurement.
• Both framework agreements aim to provide HCI (Hyperconverged Infrastructure) solutions that do not have technical or other components contained in or specific to 5G infrastructure, and that are not part of a 5G-based cyber infrastructure.
• From the data we have at this time, according to the authority, no risks or threats to national security related to these framework agreements have been identified.” announced on Friday, October 6, officials of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
  
  

read:Why Cyber ​​​​Command of MApN will use IT solutions of a company with a 5G security risk according to CSAT

E-governance expert: MApN’s response is surprising. Law 163/2021 is not only about 5G infrastructure

Andriy Nikoara, an expert on e-government services, says that Law 163/2021 has a wider scope not only for 5G infrastructure, but also for IT equipment and solutions used in “information and communication infrastructures of national interest”.

• “MAPN’s response is surprising. This applies to 5G technology, even if the object of Law 163/2021 is the use “in IT communication infrastructures of national interest”.
• The response should have argued that MAPN Cyber ​​Security Command’s IT infrastructure was not in the national interest.
• At the same time, assurances that these purchases have been evaluated by the homeland security establishment may indicate that this evaluation may be the basis of a decision to circumvent the provisions of the law, which is of concern. It would be nice if MAPN would come back with clarifications.”, Andriy Nikoara said this to HotNews.ro on Wednesday.

Indeed, Article 3 of Law 163/2021 states that CSAT approval is required for “the use of technologies, equipment and software in IT communication infrastructures of national interest, as well as in 5G networks, with the exception of terminal equipment used by end users (.. )”.

Who controls Telelink Business Services SRL

Data from the Commercial Register, which HotNews.ro consulted, shows that Telelink Business Services SRL (CUI: 45215034) is wholly owned by Telelink Business Services Group AD, located in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Data from the European Commission shows that TBS Group is the largest IT systems integrator in Bulgaria, listed on the Sofia Stock Exchange since June 2020.

The structure of shareholders as of June 30, 2023 was as follows:

Telelink Business Services Group AD has Lubomir Minchev as the majority shareholder (50.11% of shares) and operates in Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania and the USA.

Telelink Business Services SRL is located in Sector 1 in Bucharest and is managed by Jovu Florin (44) from Bacău.

In November 2021, the newly established company from Bucharest filed a self-responsibility declaration with the Ministry of Finance stating that it had not carried out any activity since its establishment until December 31, 2021, and reported a net loss of 1.02 million lei for 2022 , having an average number of employees of 2.

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