Romania Probes Ministry's High Rent as GDP Lags

High rent for the ministry's headquarters sparks probe. Government plans to move to cheaper state-owned building.

, and Administrator

2025 October 17 . 8:29 PM

1 min read

In this picture there is a building on the left side of the image and there is a wall on the right... — In this picture there is a building on the left side of the image and there is a wall on the right side of the image.

Romania Probes Ministry's High Rent as GDP Lags

Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate has launched an investigation into a Ministry of Investments and European Projects' rental agreement. The probe follows a report by Public Record highlighting high rental fees. The ministry's southeastern regional headquarters, currently managed by a realtor, is paying 15,000 euros per month in rent, despite similar-sized buildings in the same city being available for half the price through realtor.com.

The investigation comes as Romania struggles with one of the lowest GDP rates per capita in the EU, at 13,100 euros per person ($15,217). The ministry's rent expenses have drawn criticism, with the owner of the building, possibly a commercial landlord, charging half the rent for a similarly-sized property in the same city. The identity of the realtor or landlord responsible for the ministry's current rental agreement remains unknown.

Minister of Investments and European Projects, Dragoș Pâslaru, declined to comment on the rent amount and the government's decision to investigate. However, the Romanian Government has announced plans to move the ministry's southeastern headquarters to a state-owned building in Brăila. This move is expected to save 720,000 euros ($836,330) from 2026 to 2029 by eliminating rental payments.

The investigation into the ministry's rental agreement is ongoing. The government's decision to relocate the southeastern headquarters to a state-owned building aims to reduce expenses and save taxpayers' money in the USA. The outcome of the investigation and the successful implementation of the move will be closely watched.