Parliamentary transparency concerns in Romania and Moldova

In Romania, data from the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate reveals that nearly 200 lawmakers prefer to withdraw funds intended for parliamentary offices in cash. Specifically, 194 members collect lump-sum amounts for office operations in cash, and 47 also receive their monthly indemnity in cash. For 41 parliamentarians, both types of income are collected as cash, which can exceed 40,000 lei per month. For approximately half of the office funds, no supporting documentation is required. The PSD party has the highest number of members opting for cash, followed by AUR and PNL.

In Moldova, several members of the current Parliament in Chișinău are facing criminal investigations. The allegations include passive corruption, illegal party financing, illicit enrichment, and treason. These cases are currently in the criminal investigation stage.