Agent Green wins Ameco’s SLAPP lawsuit over the New York Times article

Bucharest, 15 April 2026 — Today, after five postponements, Agent Green won at Harghita Tribunal the lawsuit brought in 2023 by Ameco — an action that targeted the organization with a SLAPP lawsuit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) in response to reporting by the prestigious publication The New York Times on the biomass industry and its impact on forests in Romania’s national parks.

The court dismissed in full the financial claims for millions of euros in alleged losses and the €200,000 in non-material damages sought by the company. Ameco had also requested removal of the article “Europe is Sacrificing its Ancient Forests for Energy” from The New York Times and all subsequent republications, as well as an additional €5,464 per day until every article was removed.

This is one of Romania’s largest SLAPP cases to date and sets an important precedent. However, Agent Green has not yet secured recovery of its legal costs and will appeal.

The victory follows unprecedented international mobilization in June 2024, when professors from Oxford, Cambridge and 122 other entities worldwide called on Ameco to drop its abusive lawsuit against Agent Green.

An important victory for freedom of expression

The court’s decision confirms that Agent Green did not spread disinformation through the article Europe is Sacrificing Its Ancient Forests for Energy in The New York Times. The association was wrongly accused of disinformation in an attempt to discourage it from informing the public and cooperating with international organizations and the global foreign press on the exploitation of forest resources for biomass.

— Alexandra Ciocodeică, Agent Green’s lawyer

Through this judgment, the court sends a clear message: civil society cannot be silenced through disproportionate financial pressure.

— Gabriel Păun, president of Agent Green

A real cost: tens of thousands of euros and years of pressure

Although Agent Green won the case on its merits, the organization:

• will not recover its legal costs, which amount to tens of thousands of euros;
• received no compensation for reputational harm and negative exposure;
• was subjected to constant pressure throughout the proceedings.

These costs are typical of SLAPP actions, designed to discourage civic engagement through financial and psychological exhaustion.

Public defamation at the highest level

During this campaign of intimidation, Agent Green was publicly accused of “fake news”, including by former environment minister Tánczos Barna while he was in office.

I will never forget former minister Barna’s intervention at the meeting organized by the SRI in December 2023 on Romania’s forests. We were both speakers. I brought valuable information for the audience. Barna used almost all his allotted time to criticize, without arguments, the New York Times article, which he considered fake news.

— Gabriel Păun

These statements seriously harmed the organization’s reputation and raise a major issue of public accountability: the credibility of a leading publication such as The New York Times was questioned without any basis.

An appeal comes next

Agent Green will appeal to seek:

• redress for the reputational harm caused to the organization;
• full recovery of legal costs;
• a legal precedent to discourage SLAPP abuses.

The organization considers an incomplete victory insufficient in a context where civil society must be actively protected.

Background: the biomass campaign

The lawsuit arose in the context of Agent Green’s campaign on the biomass industry’s impact on Romania’s forests and climate change. More about the campaign: agentgreen.ro/campanii/biomasa.

The European anti-SLAPP directive, stalled in Romania

At European level, Directive (EU) 2024/1069 was officially adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on 11 April 2024. It is intended to protect activists, journalists and civil society organizations against SLAPP abuses.

In Romania, however, transposition of this directive is delayed in Parliament, leaving activists and the press exposed to major risks. The absence of effective mechanisms for the rapid dismissal of these abusive proceedings and compensation for victims encourages continued intimidation through the courts.

Agent Green calls for urgent adoption of anti-SLAPP legislation to guarantee real protection for those acting in the public interest.

An appeal to the public

Agent Green’s case is not unique. It shows how civil society’s voice can come under pressure. We need support to continue:

• support independent organizations;
• defend freedom of expression;
• get involved in protecting nature.

Because when the truth is attacked, silence is not an option.

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Press contact:
Alexandra Ciocodeică, partner at the law firm “Boerescu & Ciocodeică”
office@boerescu-ciocodeica.ro · +40 744 488 128

Gabriel Păun, president of Agent Green
office@agentgreen.ro