Constitutional Court opens Pandora’s box: national parks may be sacrificed for controversial hydropower projects

Bucharest, 24 June 2026 – Agent Green, Bankwatch and DeClic express their outrage at today’s decision by Romania’s Constitutional Court (CCR) declaring constitutional the law initiated by the leader of the PSD senators, Daniel Zamfir.

The bill proposes mutilating 27 national and natural parks to complete Ceaușescu-era hydropower projects with an almost nonexistent national energy contribution, below 1%. The CCR ruled on this law following a referral by Romania’s President and civil society efforts to stop this potentially devastating legislation.

“This decision opens a Pandora’s box that Romania will regret for a long time. If we move national park boundaries today for a few hydropower plants, tomorrow we can move them for any other economic interest. Nature cannot be negotiated endlessly or redrawn according to short-term political interests. Especially when we are talking about projects that contribute less than 1% of national energy production. What is most frustrating is that much more efficient alternatives exist,” said Gabriel Păun, president of Agent Green.

Romania can produce more energy by refurbishing existing hydropower plants, developing storage capacity and building pumped-storage hydropower plants in areas that do not affect national parks, wild rivers or protected habitats. “We have already identified such solutions and are ready to discuss them with the authorities. We are not against energy. We are against the needless destruction of nature when better options exist. Energy security and nature protection are not conflicting objectives. Conflict arises when decisions are taken without dialogue, without respect for expertise and without an honest assessment of available alternatives,” Păun added.

PLx-14/2023 – an ecocidal bill

Since its adoption by the Chamber of Deputies on 15 October 2025, environmental NGOs have highlighted its incompatibility with the current legal system. Civil society organizations consider PL-x 14/2023 a new desperate attempt to complete inefficient and costly hydropower projects, many of which already have environmental approvals suspended or annulled by courts because of serious legal breaches. Environmental NGOs are determined to notify European institutions of the devastating ecological and legal effects of PL-x 14/2023.

Civil society was not alone in expressing concern about this legislative proposal. When it was introduced, it received negative opinions from the following committees: the Committee on Economic Affairs, Industries and Services; the Environment Committee; the Committee on Water, Forests, Fisheries and Hunting; the Committee on Energy, Energy Infrastructure and Mineral Resources; and the Economic and Social Council, from associations and foundations. The government also issued a negative opinion at that time, when the bill did not yet have the destructive potential of the 2025 version now declared constitutional.

“Killing nature was declared constitutional today. The drought and deforestation that will follow have been approved by the largest parties, with the CCR’s participation, in the name of ‘national security’. National security does not mean inefficient energy projects for the profit of corrupt companies. National security means a dignified future for coming generations, and this cannot exist without protecting nature. We will continue to fight for people and nature and say NO to the corrupt system that wants concrete instead of forests, profit instead of clean air for us all, and drought instead of water for communities,” said Viviana Stoica, hydropower campaign coordinator at Bankwatch Romania.

“If Romanian institutions choose to mutilate 27 national parks for bankrupt hydropower projects, we will seek justice further afield. We will not stop here. We will turn to the European Commission, because illegally altering the boundaries of Natura 2000 sites is not a transgression we can overlook!” said Roxana Pencea Brădățan, DeClic campaign coordinator.

Refurbishment – the path to cheap and truly green energy

Environmental organizations urge Romanian politicians to ensure national energy security through modern, safe, inexpensive means that do not destroy Romania’s natural heritage. One highly accessible solution is refurbishing existing hydropower plants, which could increase hydropower production by up to 7%, without clearing virgin forests or drying up rivers. Refurbishment can be complemented by expanding solar and wind capacity and investing in storage. The economic return from refurbishment has been recognized by Hidroelectrica itself, which invested in 256 MWh storage units at Porțile de Fier II in 2025, using PNRR funds.

Contact:

• Viviana Stoica – Hydropower Campaign Coordinator, Bankwatch Romania – viviana.stoica@bankwatch.org
• Gabriel Păun – president of Agent Green – office@agentgreen.org – Energy & Decarbonization