
The Romanian government has dismissed Alexandra Zară from her post as head of the National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ANPDPD) after she refused to inform Labour Minister Dragoș Pîslaru about a DIICOT raid on illegal care homes in Bihor county on 30 June. In a statement on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, Pîslaru confirmed the revocation, citing Zară’s failure to brief him in advance as the official reason. Zară, who was removed while visiting relocated residents in Caraș-Severin, told local media that she had been explicitly barred by DIICOT and the national police from disclosing details of the operation. “If I had informed the minister beforehand, I would have committed a criminal offence,” she said .
Pîslaru also announced sanctions against the leadership of the Bihor County Directorate-General for Social Assistance and Child Protection and the Bihor County Agency for Social Payments and Inspection, and proposed Ana Rădulescu as Zară’s successor. In a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, Zară wrote that she had been told the decision would be taken “during the day,” adding that she had continued working to ensure the safety of relocated residents even after learning of her dismissal .
The DIICOT operation targeted a network of unlicensed care facilities in Bihor, where authorities allege vulnerable adults were subjected to abuse and neglect. DIICOT’s central unit and the national police (IGPR) had imposed a confidentiality obligation on all institutions involved, according to Zară. She told Adevarul that Pîslaru had repeatedly pressed her for information in the days following the raid, but she had responded in writing while maintaining the legal secrecy required by the investigation .
The minister’s decision has drawn criticism from disability-rights advocates, who argue that the revocation politicises oversight of care homes. Pîslaru, who also serves as interim labour minister, has defended the move as necessary to restore public trust in the handling of the Bihor case. The ANPDPD is responsible for monitoring compliance with national standards on disability rights, including the operation of residential facilities.
Zară’s dismissal comes amid broader scrutiny of Romania’s care-home sector. In 2025, the European Committee of Social Rights found systemic violations in state-funded institutions, including inadequate staffing and failure to protect residents from abuse. The government has pledged to close all unlicensed facilities by 2027, but activists warn that progress remains slow.
Pîslaru has not responded to requests for further comment on the sanctions against Bihor officials or the proposed appointment of Rădulescu. The ANPDPD’s new leadership will face immediate challenges, including overseeing the relocation of residents from the closed facilities and ensuring compliance with national and EU disability-rights frameworks.
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