Romanian far-right party AUR proposes parliamentary inquiry into illegal migration, exploitation

The far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which commands around 36% of support among voters, has backed a draft decision to establish a parliamentary inquiry committee to examine how the authorities manage illegal migration, crimes committed by foreign citizens, and cases of exploitation of workers from outside the European Union.

The committee would analyze the activities of the responsible institutions, identify potential shortcomings in controls, and propose legislative and administrative measures.

According to AUR's press release, the initiative is based on the increase in the number of foreign workers entering Romania between 2022 and 2026, as well as a series of cases involving illegal migration, migrant smuggling, and labor exploitation, presented in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the draft.

According to the proposal, 2,389 foreign citizens attempting to leave Romania illegally were detected in 2024. The following year, approximately 400 people were identified attempting to cross the Romanian-Hungarian border illegally in the first seven months.

The explanatory memorandum also cited cases of migrants hidden in trucks, illegal stays, violent crimes, and investigations into the exploitation of foreign workers. The reported incidents include alleged cases of forced labor, document confiscation, physical assaults, and unlawful deprivation of liberty.

The inquiry would look into the activities of the General Inspectorate for Immigration and the Border Police as well as those of intermediaries recruiting workers from outside the European Union. The committee would examine official data on illegal migration, crime, and measures to return foreign citizens to identify potential legislative and administrative vulnerabilities.

According to the draft, the committee would consist of 15 MPs, appointed proportionally by parliamentary groups. It could request documents, information, and reports from the competent institutions and could hear representatives of the authorities, as well as other individuals relevant to the inquiry.

The final report would have to be submitted within 60 days of the committee's establishment, with the possibility of a single extension of no more than 30 days.

In its press release, AUR argued that the measures are necessary to improve controls, increase institutional transparency, and combat illegal migration, human trafficking, and labor exploitation.

Last week, AUR lawmaker Dan Tanasă was