Government members, the head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretaries-General of the Executive, Secretaries and Undersecretaries of State, State Counselors will be required to register in the Single Register of Transparency of Interests (RUTI) and will be prohibited from requesting or accepting gifts from individuals with whom they are in relationships while exercising their mandate, according to a law promulgated on Monday by Romanian interim president Ilie Bolojan.
The normative act complements Emergency Ordinance 57/2019 with a new chapter regarding the ethics and conduct rules for Government members, other individuals holding public office positions at the central public administration level, and the staff employed in their cabinets.
New obligations for Government members and other public leadership positions
📌 Who is targeted:
- Ministers and other Government members
- The head of the Prime Minister's Chancellery
- Secretary-Generals and Deputy Secretaries-General of the Executive
- Secretaries and Undersecretaries of State
- State Counselors and staff from their cabinets
📌 New obligations:
- Mandatory registration in the Single Register of Transparency of Interests (RUTI)
- Publication of official meetings with third parties at least 2 days in advance
- Completion of information about meetings within 5 working days after they take place
- Publication on the institution's website of abstentions from decisions (to avoid conflicts of interest)
📌 Prohibitions regarding gifts:
Prohibited to accept/request gifts from individuals or legal entities:
- who have contracts or ongoing requests with the institution
- who aim to obtain licenses, approvals, authorizations, etc.
- who participate in public tenders organized by the institution
Gift is broadly defined: money, jewelry, cards/vouchers, trips, invitations, courses, etc.
📌 Accepted exceptions:
- Gifts up to 100 euros (maximum 300 euros/year from the same person)
- Discounts or benefits addressed to the general public
- Standard conditions loans offered by banks
- Covered costs for participation in events in an official capacity
- Symbolic gifts offered at official events
📌 Other provisions:
- Unauthorized gifts must be returned within 30 days
- Unplanned official meetings must be published within 2 days after taking place
- Ethics and conduct courses will be organized by the National Institute of Administration
- Prefects, deputy prefects, and other local dignitaries can voluntarily register in RUTI