Forensic doctors from the whole country have announced that they will suspend their activity on Thursday, between 10 am and 12 pm, in protest against the underfunding of the system and the authorities’ lack of interest in the medico-legal field.
The action is taking place in the premises of the medico-legal units and could be followed by other forms of protest if the claims are not resolved, according to News.ro
Unionists are telling policymakers that chronic underfunding and a lack of budget prioritization risk blocking the judicial system by making investigations difficult or delayed.
“This protest is an alarm signal regarding a reality systematically ignored by the decision-makers: the medico-legal probation is indispensable to the act of justice. Without forensic expertise, criminal investigations stagnate, trials are postponed, and the rights of citizens – both victims and accused – are seriously affected. Through chronic underfunding and the exclusion of the medico-legal system from budget priorities, the decision-makers do not reduce administrative expenses – they block the justice system itself. Legal medicine it is not a marginal administrative expense, but an essential component of evidence without which the administration of justice is impossible“, the forensic doctors say.
Dissatisfaction with pay and legislation
Medical examiners criticize the provisions of a recent ordinance and the draft of the new salary law, which they say generate inequities and do not reflect the specifics of their activity.
Protesters cite, among other things: discriminatory funding and pay, the lack of a proper assessment of the risks and responsibilities of the profession, the pressure to work with insufficient resources and under increasingly strict deadlines
The trade unionists also complain about the decrease in income and the lack of a real dialogue with the authorities, despite repeated requests.
The protesters demand the intervention of the Parliament, the Government and the Ministry of Health to correct the situation, including the elimination of provisions considered discriminatory and the provision of adequate funding.
“We request (…) the opening of a real dialogue, the urgent correction of the discriminatory provisions of GEO No. 7/2026 and of the draft salary framework law and the provision of funding that allows the medico-legal network to fulfill its constitutional role in the service of justice and the health system. Continuing to ignore these problems will inevitably mean a degradation of the quality and speed of the justice act – to the detriment of all citizens“, the trade unionists say.
During the protest, forensic institutions will continue to handle only urgent cases.
