Romania has stepped up efforts to combat human trafficking, identifying more victims and strengthening prevention and prosecution measures as traffickers increasingly recruit victims online, acting Minister of Internal Affairs Catalin Predoiu said on Thursday, marking World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
"Human trafficking is one of this century's barbarities, through which human beings are turned into commodities. This is not a figure of speech but an exact description: human beings turned into commodities, sold, exploited and held captive in the middle of a world that considers itself civilised. It is unacceptable and will always remain unacceptable, regardless of the form it takes: sexual exploitation, forced labour, begging or the recruitment of minors through social media," Predoiu said in a press release issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI), according to Agerpres.
He said emotional manipulation, relationships of trust built on deception and recruitment through social media require a rapid and adaptable institutional response, which Romania is developing.
"The 2025 U.S. Department of State report confirms clear progress: more victims identified, a national strategy for 2024-2028, stronger criminal legislation and improved access for victims to legal assistance and compensation. These results stem from institutional action and the work of dedicated professionals, while the figures for the first half of this year show how these efforts are producing results on the ground," Predoiu said.
Romania's National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (ANITP) identified 430 victims in the first half of the year, 32% more than in the same period last year. According to the minister, the increase reflects improved detection capacity, with specialists expanding fieldwork in vulnerable communities.
For the first time, ANITP has introduced a national mechanism for the proactive identification of trafficking risks among minors, designed to enable schools, police and social services to recognise warning signs before children become victims of traffickers.
The agency carried out more than 1,200 prevention activities during the first six months of the year, nearly 1,000 of them in schools. Police officers, teachers and ANITP specialists engaged directly with more than 48,000 pupils, teachers and parents, while public awareness campaigns reached over 87,000 people.
"Traffickers are increasingly recruiting victims online, and the institutional response is adapting accordingly. Of the 59 victims recruited online during the first half of the year, 29 were minors at the time of recruitment. The Romanian Police and ANITP are expanding monitoring and intervention in the digital environment, where many people spend a significant part of their free time," Predoiu added.
The minister said 203 identified victims had been referred to specialised public and non-governmental support services providing psychological, legal and medical assistance, as well as reintegration support. Every identified victim should remain under state protection until they effectively regain their safety and autonomy, he added.
According to the press release, Romania has also become a destination country for human trafficking. The Border Police and the General Inspectorate for Immigration are stepping up checks on the recruitment of foreign workers to prevent labour exploitation disguised as legitimate employment.
"Parliament has increased penalties for human trafficking and removed the possibility of suspended prison sentences for these offences. The Romanian Police and DIICOT, together with international partners, continue investigations into trafficking networks, financial flows and online recruitment," Predoiu said.
