Romanian Deputy PM: Cyberattacks on Public Services 'Unacceptable,' Highlight Lack of Coordination

Interim Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu has labeled recent cyberattacks on Romanian public services as "unacceptable," warning they signal a critical failure in the country's digital infrastructure and inter-institutional coordination. The attacks, which disrupted services like the National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI), highlighted "a deeper problem: the lack of coordination between state institutions in building and administering efficient, interoperable, and secure digital solutions."

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The cyberattacks that have affected public services of the state in recent days are unacceptable.

Gheorghiu emphasized that cybersecurity is not a secondary technical issue but a direct responsibility of institutional leadership, essential for citizen trust. She stated that the priority is safely restoring unavailable services, with experts working to secure systems and data. Services will only be reactivated once their safety is guaranteed. The ANCPI incident, initially described as the institution's worst technical failure, was later confirmed as a major cyberattack, with stolen data reportedly offered for sale online.

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This shows a deeper problem: the lack of coordination between state institutions in building and administering efficient, interoperable, and secure digital solutions.

"These attacks must become a lesson learned for the Romanian state," Gheorghiu declared on Facebook. She called for a thorough investigation into what failed, who neglected their duties, and what changes are necessary. This includes implementing uniform standards, conducting real audits, testing backups, establishing continuity plans, and ensuring firm coordination across the administration. The goal is to eliminate identified vulnerabilities and prevent similar disruptions from recurring.

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We will take all necessary measures to ensure that the identified vulnerabilities are eliminated, responsibilities are assumed, and such blockages do not happen again.