The Romanian Government adopted on Thursday, May 24, an emergency ordinance that changes the public acquisition laws and makes it simpler for public authorities to assign contracts.

The bidders who challenge the results of a public tender must pay a security of 2% of the contract’s estimated value, which they will only recover if it’s proven they had a good reason to dispute the procedure. Through this measure, the Government aims to discourage the “professional disputers” that have blocked public procurement procedures leading to delays in big investment projects in the past, local News.ro reported.

Prime minister Viorica Dancila made another error when presenting this emergency ordinance. She said the measure would reduce democracy when she actually meant bureaucracy.

“We can briefly say that we reduce democracy… reduce bureaucracy, reduce the deadlines,” Dancila said, adding that many Romanians have been waiting for this measure.

As finance minister Eugen Teodorovici explained on Wednesday, the public purchases made by public authorities will only be checked by the Court of Auditors from now on. The National Authority for Public Acquisitions – ANAP will lose its role in verifying the contracts awarded by public institutions.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Gov.ro)