Romania’s Chamber of Deputies Approved a Bill on Unification with Moldova: Sent to the Senate

The legislative initiative by the S.O.S. România party, providing for the unification of Romania with Moldova, was automatically adopted by the Chamber of Deputies following the expiry of the 45-day consideration period stipulated by the Constitution. The bill will now be forwarded to the Romanian Senate, which has the final say on this matter, reports Digi24. The bill was tabled in parliament on 14 April and received a negative opinion from the Romanian government. Furthermore, the Chamber of Deputies’ Legal Affairs Committee and Human Rights Committee also issued negative opinions on it. As the bill was not put forward for debate and a vote in a plenary session, it is deemed to have been automatically adopted in accordance with Article 75(2) of the Romanian Constitution and will be sent to the Senate in the version proposed by the authors of the initiative. Under the bill, the Romanian Parliament must decide on the unification of Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The document also provides for a reaffirmation of commitment to the provisions of the Helsinki Accords, which permit the alteration of state borders by peaceful and diplomatic means. The draft authorizes the Romanian Government to commence negotiations with the authorities in Chisinau “as a matter of urgency and without delay” in order to “complete the unification with the Republic of Moldova”.