Moldova and Romania firewood and environmental regulation

Authorities in Moldova and Romania have increased oversight of firewood sales and environmental violations to combat illegal logging and pollution. In Moldova, the Ministry of Environment released price tables for wood and urged citizens to purchase only from legal sources using fiscal invoices.

Following these measures, Moldovan Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder clarified that inspection policies are designed to track the commercial supply chain—specifically targeting illegal cutting, transport, and commercialization—rather than monitoring the woodpiles of private households. He assured the public that citizens purchasing wood legally for heating purposes would not be targeted.

Recent enforcement actions in Moldova have resulted in the detection of significant illegal logging. Between September 1 and 17, 2026, 12 inspections in forests managed by Moldsilva and local authorities uncovered approximately 136 cubic meters of illegally extracted wood, leading to fines totaling 161,950 lei. Specific violations were recorded in the Drochia and Nisporeni districts, where over 160 trees were illegally cut. In some instances, extracted wood was recovered by forestry enterprises.

By late September, environmental inspectors detected further illegal tree cutting in the forest funds of Ghidighici and the Dondușeni district. Meanwhile, in Romania, authorities are addressing illegal waste burning in Sintești, described as a “chronic pollution hotspot.” Interim Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu has called for a shift from occasional controls to permanent 24/7 surveillance to mitigate toxic smoke affecting the area near the capital.