--- title: "81 former Moldovan MPs urge Romania to drop citizenship bill" url: https://moldova1.md/p/89684/81-former-moldovan-mps-urge-romania-to-drop-citizenship-bill published: 2026-11-08T11:00:00Z language: en author: "Dumitru Petruleac" section: "Political" source: moldova1.md --- # 81 former Moldovan MPs urge Romania to drop citizenship bill > A group of 81 former lawmakers from Moldova's first parliament, signatories of the country's Declaration of Independence, have urged Romania to withdraw a bill that could restrict descendants of former Romanian citizens from reacquiring citizenship. ![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/01528d19-b086-4a54-9d92-e864f5e952ce.jpg) A group of 81 former lawmakers from Moldova's first parliament, signatories of the country's Declaration of Independence, have urged Romania to withdraw a bill that could restrict descendants of former Romanian citizens from reacquiring citizenship. In a public appeal addressed to Romania's president, parliament and government, as well as the bill's initiators, the signatories argue that document fraud should be tackled through investigations and checks, not by restricting the rights of an entire community. **Why former lawmakers oppose the bill** The signatories challenge the PSD's arguments about the large number of applications, the growing backlog at the National Authority for Citizenship and alleged networks forging documents to obtain Romanian citizenship. *“Fraud must be tackled through checks and enforcement of the law, not by restricting the rights of an entire community,”* the appeal states. The former lawmakers say the proposed amendments risk undermining the historical and legal ties between Romania and the descendants of Romanian citizens from Bessarabia. They point to the 1940 Soviet occupation and families separated by historical upheavals, arguing that citizenship is not merely an administrative matter but also one of identity and historical continuity. The signatories also refer to the current geopolitical context, arguing that Romania should maintain a policy of closer ties with the Republic of Moldova. They say Russia has used the facilitation of citizenship acquisition as a tool to expand its influence, including among residents of Moldova's separatist-controlled left bank of the Dniester. *“We cannot ignore the fact that the Russian Federation has used the facilitation of citizenship acquisition, including in relation to residents of the separatist-controlled region, as a tool to expand its influence. This is not the time to raise barriers where history calls on us to build bridges. If Romania speaks about solidarity, national unity and the prospect of reunification, its policies towards Romanians in the Republic of Moldova must be consistent with these principles,”* the document states. The signatories are calling for the bill to be withdrawn in its current form and for meaningful consultations to be held. **What the draft legislation proposes** The bill was registered with the Romanian Senate on September 15, 2026, and proposes amendments to the Romanian Citizenship Law. The initiative, initially introduced by 13 PSD lawmakers, seeks to restrict the special procedure for reacquiring citizenship, preventing descendants of former Romanian citizens from applying in their own right under the current rules. Under Article 11 of the existing law, eligibility extends to third-generation descendants, including great-grandchildren. The bill's authors cite the large number of applications, delays in processing files and suspected fraud involving civil status documents as grounds for the proposed changes. According to the arguments presented by the initiators, more than 150,000 applications were awaiting examination by the National Authority for Citizenship in 2025. The issue was also discussed during Romanian Prime Minister Luca-Alexandru Niculescu's official visit to Chisinau on October 27. In an interview with TVR Moldova, Niculescu said he would examine the initiative after returning to Bucharest and holding discussions with Moldovan officials. However, he stressed that he would respect Parliament's independence and constitutional responsibilities. The bill remains a legislative proposal and has not entered into force. If adopted in its current form, it could change the conditions under which Moldovan citizens of Romanian descent can apply to reacquire Romanian citizenship. Translation by **Iurie Tataru** **RELATED COVERAGE** * [Romania to review draft restricting citizenship restoration](https://moldova1.md/p/88762/) * [858,913 Moldovans reacquire Romanian citizenship since 1991](https://moldova1.md/p/53681) * [Russians faced trial in Romania for fake passports, some from Chișinău](https://www.moldova1.md/p/87499/) * [Romanian passports for Russians obtained through false documents: authorities conduct searches at a company in Chișinău](https://www.moldova1.md/p/60556/romanian-passports-for-russians-obtained-through-false-documents-authorities-conduct-searches-at-a-company-in-chisinau) * [Chișinău rejects Simion’s fraud claims: "Moldovans with Romanian citizenship are free people"](https://www.moldova1.md/p/49070/chisinau-rejects-simion-s-fraud-claims--moldovans-with-romanian-citizenship-are-free-people-)