Parliament has adopted, in second reading, a draft law introducing more flexible and faster mechanisms for state intervention during energy alerts or crises. The bill, supported by 59 MPs, aligns the legal framework across the energy, fuel, transport and public procurement sectors, TRIBUNA reports.

The initiative comes from a group of MPs from the Action and Solidarity Party and was developed within a working group under the Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance, with input from the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development, and the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE).

Under the new provisions, ANRE will be able to introduce temporary derogations from standard pricing rules for gasoline and diesel during crisis situations, based on proposals from the National Crisis Management Centre. These may include adjusting the reference period or using alternative Platts quotations to better reflect market conditions.

Another measure removes the requirement that fuel must transit exclusively through petroleum depots. This would allow gasoline and diesel to be delivered directly to filling stations, reducing transport times and easing pressure on storage infrastructure.

The document also amends public procurement rules. When significant cost fluctuations occur — defined as variations exceeding 15%, according to National Bureau of Statistics data — contracting authorities will be allowed to adjust ongoing contracts. The measure aims to support the construction sector, which has been affected by rapid and unpredictable increases in fuel and material prices.

According to the authors, the accelerated and unpredictable rise in fuel and construction material costs is placing financial pressure on contractors and undermining their ability to fulfil existing agreements. Most multi‑year contracts signed between 2023 and 2025 include only annual adjustment mechanisms based on inflation, while contracts shorter than one year cannot be adjusted at all.

“Without rapid and adequate intervention, the sector’s capacity to participate in and absorb future major infrastructure projects will be significantly reduced,” the explanatory note states, warning also of the risk of blocking planned investment projects.

The new legislative provisions will enter into force upon publication in the Official Gazette.