Laws with contested amendments
The Romanian Parliament has passed legislation to meet NRRP milestones.
Daniela Budu and Radio România Internațional, 06.08.2026, 14:00
Two landmark bills under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) were passed by the Romanian Parliament on Wednesday. The integrity bill was adopted during an extraordinary session of the Senate, the decision-making body on the matter, after the Chamber of Deputies had passed it on Monday, as the chamber of first review. The legislation triggered heated parliamentary debates, after PSD and AUR introduced amendments concerning officials’ incompatibilities and declaration of assets. USR and PNL warned that these amendments could jeopardize EU funding and announced steps to ensure the text of the law aligns with constitutional provisions. Ultimately, the amendments introduced by the Chamber of Deputies were maintained. These include the obligation of dignitaries’ life partners to declare their assets, alongside a clause triggering the automatic legal termination of a public office or mandate for persons found in a conflict of interest or a state of incompatibility.
The second bill passed on Wednesday by the Romanian Parliament, this time with the Chamber of Deputies acting as the decision-making body, focuses on decarbonizing the energy sector. It includes a PSD amendment, heavily criticized by USR and PNL, which stipulates that coal mines can only be closed after new energy production capacities are fully established. The Social Democrats argued that the measure is vital, given the current energy crisis.
Conversely, PNL and USR criticized the changes as populist, warning they put substantial EU funds at risk. The interim Minister of Investments and European Projects, Dragoş Pîslaru, underlined that the Government has already started talks with European Commission representatives to maintain coal capacities until new gas power plants become operational.
In this context, President Nicuşor Dan announced that he would exercise all constitutional prerogatives, including requesting a parliamentary review, if the adopted measures breach committed targets and block Romania from submitting its remaining payment requests.
Notably, on Tuesday, the President promulgated several other laws to fulfill NRRP milestones, alongside ratifying the SAFE defense investment agreement between the European Union and Romania. The President emphasized that these steps secure Romania’s access to major European funds for modernization and investment, adding that NRRP funding means better services and a higher quality of life for citizens, while driving reforms for a more efficient state. (DV)
