Romania's Top Court Blocks Online Publication of Wealth Declarations
The Constitutional Court of Romania ruled on August 17, 2026, against the online publication of wealth and interest declarations. The court found that Parliament's attempt to circumvent a previous decision by changing the document's name was unconstitutional. The decision highlighted privacy concerns and the excessive exposure of personal life details. The Integrity Law must be revised by Parliament before it can be enacted.
The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has declared the online publication of wealth and interest declarations unconstitutional. Issued on August 17, 2026, Decision no. 883 found that the new Integrity Law provisions violated previous court rulings and constitutional protections.
According to the CCR, Parliament's introduction of a 'financial interest declaration' was a direct attempt to bypass Decision no. 297 of May 29, 2025, which had already established that such declarations should remain private. The court emphasized that simply renaming the document did not justify making the same data publicly accessible.
The CCR stated, 'Publication exceeds the purpose of verifying integrity,' highlighting that online exposure unjustifiably intrudes into private lives. The declarations, which include sensitive aspects of individuals' and their families' lives, were intended for verification by the National Integrity Agency (ANI) rather than public dissemination.
While the CCR acknowledges the importance of preventing conflicts of interest and verifying wealth, it draws a clear line between ANI's access to information and public internet publication. The court argues that public exposure 'far exceeds' legitimate integrity goals and exposes private relationships, particularly those involving spouses, inappropriately.
The decision also addressed the concept of 'person with spouse-like relationships,' which the CCR deemed unconstitutional due to the lack of legal definition and criteria for identification. The law required individuals to self-assess their relationships, leading to potential liability issues.
The CCR's ruling mandates that the Integrity Law be revised before it can proceed to presidential promulgation. Parliament must address these constitutional concerns, ensuring that any obligations imposed on officials and their spouses are specific, clear, and proportional.
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