The Chamber of Deputies approved the establishment of an investigative committee regarding the migration and exploitation of foreign workers

The Chamber of Deputies approved, with 145 votes in favor, 83 against and two abstentions, the establishment of an inquiry committee on migration and the activities of foreign citizens in Romania. One deputy present did not cast a vote.

The committee, proposed by the AUR and S.O.S. Romania parliamentary groups, will examine how authorities manage the entry, stay and activities of foreign citizens, as well as possible networks involved in illegal migration and labor exploitation.

The inquiry will examine cases of illegal residence, return decisions, attempts to cross the border fraudulently and the effectiveness of checks carried out by the competent institutions. It will also analyze possible abuses committed by employers or intermediaries in recruiting workers from outside the European Union, as well as the phenomenon of secondary migration to other European states.

AUR leader George Simion argued that Romania is facing problems related to the recruitment of workers from third countries and accused the existence of human trafficking networks. The claims will be assessed as part of the inquiry.

The committee will have 15 members, appointed in proportion to parliamentary representation, and will be able to request documents, reports and hearings. The final report must be presented within 60 days of the committee's establishment, with the possibility of a single extension of no more than 30 days. The initiative generated tensions among the parliamentary parties, including in the context of another inquiry committee concerning the Mykonos-Nordis case.