The Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Romania - Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH) announced on Tuesday that it won a first-instance ruling in its lawsuit against the Government, represented by the Government's General Secretariat (SGG), for refusing to disclose public-interest information on Romania's military assistance to Ukraine.

According to the NGO, the Bucharest Tribunal's Ruling No. 7360/2026 of July 9, 2026 rejected the SGG's objection on lack of standing and ordered the Government to release the information requested since September 9, 2025. APADOR-CH had asked for the number and date of each Government Decision approving military aid to Ukraine since 2020, as well as the classification status of those acts under Law No. 182/2002.

'We did not request operational details, only minimal data on the existence and legal status of these acts,' the association noted.

SGG rejected the request on September 17, 2025, invoking Article 12(1)(a) of Law 544/2001, yet without proving that the information had been lawfully classified under Law 182/2002.

'Simply claiming that an item 'relates to national defence' is not enough; the authority must show that it was classified through a concrete act, following the legal procedure,' APADOR-CH argued, calling the practice of withholding even the number of a Government Decision 'absurd and abusive'.

APADOR-CH filed suit in October 2025. The court dismissed the Government's arguments - including claims that the NGO lacked legitimate interest, that disclosure of dates and numbers would endanger unspecified 'important values', or that the Government, as a 'collegial body', could not be sued.

'The court confirmed what we stated from the outset: the citizens' right to minimal information, such as the number and date of a regulatory act, cannot be blocked by unjustified secrecy,' APADOR-CH said.

Despite the ruling, the actual value of Romania's military aid to Ukraine remains unknown.

'We have, at most, the promise that we will learn in which Government Decisions these figures are hidden, but not the figures themselves,' the association stated. Identifying the relevant Government Decisions is only the first step toward obtaining official data on public funds spent. Any further refusal will require new litigation, potentially extending over years, APADOR-CH warned. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Eusebi Manolache; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)

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