Romania's Senate on August 5 approved the Integrity Law, a key milestone under the country's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), sending the legislation to President Nicușor Dan for promulgation, according to Curs de Guvernare.

The bill includes two controversial amendments backed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which critics argue risk being struck down by the Constitutional Court.

The law was adopted by 104 votes to eight, with seven abstentions and two senators not voting. One AUR senator, six Save Romania Union (USR) senators and one unaffiliated senator voted against the bill.

According to Curs de Guvernare, the legislation could jeopardize a EUR 790 million grant under the European Union's Recovery and Resilience Facility if it is declared unconstitutional. The president may return the law to Parliament for reconsideration once before deciding whether to promulgate it.

One of the disputed amendments, promoted primarily by PSD, would bar from holding public office dignitaries who had previously been found to be in a conflict of interest. The provision is widely seen as targeting Timișoara Mayor Dominic Fritz, who also serves as president of the opposition USR.

A second amendment, proposed by AUR, extends asset declaration requirements to spouses and "spouse-like partners" of public officials. Legal experts, including former Constitutional Court judges cited by Curs de Guvernare, have criticized the wording as too vague to meet constitutional standards. President Dan's partner, Mirabela Grădinaru, published her declarations of assets and interests on August 5.

On August 3, USR accused PSD and AUR of negotiating amendments designed to target political opponents.

"At the behest of Sorin Grindeanu, PSD and AUR insist on creating retroactive punishments to eliminate their opponents from office, even if this means democratic vandalism and pushing Romania towards illiberalism," USR said in a statement.

The party warned that Romania could lose "almost EUR 800 million" in European funding if the legislation is ultimately found to breach constitutional principles.

(Photo: Gov.ro)

iulian@romania-insider.com