The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, conducted a visit to Romania from 26 to 29 May 2026, focusing on the human rights situation of older persons living in long-term care facilities. The visit forms part of the Commissioner's broader engagement on this issue across Council of Europe member states.
Access to care and safeguarding rights and dignity
Romania is experiencing an ageing society, resulting in a growing demand for long-term support for older persons. This trend will intensify in the coming years. The Commissioner acknowledges the efforts of the Romanian authorities to address the challenges posed by this population ageing, including with regard to the substantial shortage of long-term residential, community-based and home care support services.
The Commissioner encourages the authorities to ensure that private service providers, who deliver the majority of long-term care services, are able to access sustainable funding and operate without disproportionate administrative and fiscal burdens, while fully complying with quality standards and respecting the rights and dignity of those receiving care.
The existence of unlicensed care homes, where serious allegations of abuse and neglect have been reported, is a matter of concern. The Commissioner calls for rigorous implementation of the licensing framework, as well as a robust, coordinated response to ensure accountability, including by carrying out effective investigations.
Independent monitoring of care institutions remains essential. In this regard, the Commissioner calls for strengthened support to the work of the People's Advocate (Ombudsman institution) and other oversight mechanisms, as well as to the civil society monitors.
Advancing reform of the long-term care system
The Commissioner welcomes the progress made in strengthening Romania's regulatory framework governing long-term care, including the adoption of improved quality standards for care services. Important challenges remain in translating these standards into practice. The Commissioner calls on the authorities to strengthen coordination of the healthcare and social care sectors and for the development of capacity to respond to the complex multidisciplinary needs of older persons requiring long-term care.
He also notes with appreciation the ongoing efforts to reform Romania's social protection and healthcare systems, including initiatives aimed at improving service financing and promoting a more human rights based approach to care. He encourages the authorities to bring these reforms to completion and to ensure their effective implementation.
General observations
The Commissioner underlines the need to ensure that the most vulnerable persons, especially those in poverty, have meaningful access to long-term care and all necessary support services, so that no one is left unprotected or falls through the gaps in the existing support systems.
Recognising older persons as rights holders and ensuring their participation as partners is key to ensuring full respect of their dignity in the context of long-term care.
Finally, the Commissioner is of the opinion that, considering the demographic challenges faced by Romania, issues related to ageing, long-term care, and the rights of older persons overall should receive close attention at the highest political levels.
During his visit, the Commissioner met with the Minister of Investments and European Projects and interim Minister of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity, Dragoș-Nicolae Pîslaru; the Secretary of State from the Ministry of Labour, Monica Dinică; the Secretary of State from the Ministry of Health, Stela Firu; representatives of the Office of the Prosecutor General; the People's Advocate, Renate Weber; the Executive Director of the Romanian Institute for Human Rights, Adrian Bulgaru; and representatives of civil society. He also visited three long-term care facilities in Bucharest and Voluntari, where he met with residents and staff members, as well as with representatives of the Bucharest authorities.
