Grupul Special de Protectie si Interventie
Encyclopedia
Grupul Special de Protecţie şi Intervenţie (Special Group for Protection and Intervention, GSPI) was an organization under the control of the Romania
n Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform. The designated nickname of the unit is Acvila, which is Romanian
for "Eagle".
Created in January 2003 to satisfy the needs of Romania and the European Union
regarding counter-terrorist operations and internal protection, the plans for the structure of GSPI benefited from the experience of other similar units within the European Union, especially Germany
's GSG 9
. MAI's counsellor from the German Ministry of Interior
, Walter Sperner, former commander of GSG 9, personally helped in the creation and development of GSPI.
GSPI Acvila is composed of 4 anti-terrorist intervention groups, 1 sniper team, 1 CPU (Close Protection Unit), plus additional medical, training and logistics sections. GSPI is said to number around 200 people.
Pre-selection lasts 10-14 days, and selection usually lasts between 30 and 45 days. At the end of these two first trials, only 15% of applicants are validated. After that, a final exam follows, and if the candidate passes, he is now a member of the team. Three to five more years will then be dedicated for him to fully qualify in all the skills needed to become an operational member, during which he is trained in climbing and descending, parachuting, diving, explosives, first aid, instinctive shooting, aggressive car driving, VIP protection, and other disciplines.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform. The designated nickname of the unit is Acvila, which is Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
for "Eagle".
Created in January 2003 to satisfy the needs of Romania and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
regarding counter-terrorist operations and internal protection, the plans for the structure of GSPI benefited from the experience of other similar units within the European Union, especially Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's GSG 9
GSG 9
The GSG 9 der Bundespolizei , is the elite counter-terrorism and special operations unit of the German Federal Police.-History and name:...
. MAI's counsellor from the German Ministry of Interior
Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany)
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is a ministry of the German federal government. Its main office is in Berlin, with a secondary seat in Bonn. The current minister of the interior is Dr...
, Walter Sperner, former commander of GSG 9, personally helped in the creation and development of GSPI.
GSPI Acvila is composed of 4 anti-terrorist intervention groups, 1 sniper team, 1 CPU (Close Protection Unit), plus additional medical, training and logistics sections. GSPI is said to number around 200 people.
Pre-selection lasts 10-14 days, and selection usually lasts between 30 and 45 days. At the end of these two first trials, only 15% of applicants are validated. After that, a final exam follows, and if the candidate passes, he is now a member of the team. Three to five more years will then be dedicated for him to fully qualify in all the skills needed to become an operational member, during which he is trained in climbing and descending, parachuting, diving, explosives, first aid, instinctive shooting, aggressive car driving, VIP protection, and other disciplines.