Romania's president returns land transfer law to Parliament over concerns of state patrimony loss

Romanian president Nicușor Dan, on July 23, formally requested the reconsideration of legislation that would transfer more than 500 hectares of land from the state to the "King Michael I" University of Life Sciences in Timișoara, citing insufficient justification and risks to the state's assets, the Presidential Administration announced.

The bill, initiated by Liberal Party (PNL) senator Sorin Cîmpeanu alongside lawmakers from the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Save Romania Union (USR), and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), had previously received approval from the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) following a delay of over a year.

Former President Klaus Iohannis had challenged the law at the CCR on January 10, 2024, but the Court rejected his complaint on July 1.

In his reexamination request, President Dan questioned the rationale behind transferring ownership to the university rather than granting administrative rights. He argued that the move represents "a significant diminution of the state's patrimony," especially given the large area and its potential for increased value.

"The substantiation of the normative act and the reason for the need to establish a property righ is unclear," the request stated, referring to the lack of detailed justification for the university's permanent ownership of the land.

Despite the CCR ruling, G4Media reported on July 23 that the Court had previously rejected similar legislative initiatives, citing past decisions including Rulings no. 600/2005, 970/2007, 494/2013, and 574/2014. The institution, currently led by Marian Enache, had repeatedly postponed its decision in this case before ultimately allowing the law to take its course.

The university in question has also been subject to scrutiny in a separate matter. Since June 2024, three of its professors, including Mariana Moatăr, vice-dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Technologies, have been under investigation by Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) in a bribery case.