Dan Tănasă (AUR), indicted for messages deemed discriminatory toward foreign workers

AUR MP Dan Tănasă has been indicted, while remaining at liberty, by prosecutors from the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice for incitement to violence, hatred or discrimination. The case concerns messages published on a social network on August 19, 2025, in which the lawmaker allegedly urged the public to discriminate against foreign workers from Africa and Asia who work in Romania.

According to the indictment, Dan Tănasă allegedly urged his followers to refuse orders that were not delivered by Romanians and not to encourage the “import of unskilled workers from Asia and Africa.” Prosecutors argue that the messages targeted a category of people defined by race, nationality, ethnicity and religion and could harm social relations based on mutual respect.

Investigators stated that parliamentary immunity protects deputies and senators only for votes and political opinions expressed in the exercise of their mandate. It does not prevent criminal prosecution for acts unrelated to parliamentary activity. The indictment was submitted to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the court competent to hear the case at first instance. Being sent to trial does not amount to a finding of guilt.