This page was translated from Romanian with the help of Claude (claude.ai), an artificial-intelligence assistant, and may contain translation errors. The reference text is the Romanian one. If you notice a mistake or an unnatural wording and would like to help us, please write to us at corecturi@civicsuport.ro. Thank you.
Most of the things around us are decided close to us: at the town hall, in the local council, at the county council. A repaired road, a park that is kept, a budget read in time all depend on someone having asked, requested or proposed. The law gives you more tools than a vote every few years, and most of them are free.
Getting involved does not mean being against anyone. It means knowing what rights you have, using them correctly and asking institutions to do their job within the deadlines set by law. A well-written request, sent to the right place, gets an answer. Five organised people can do more than fifty scattered complaints.
We have written three practical, step-by-step guides. At each step you will find what to do, where to go, what documents you need, what it costs and how long it takes, and underneath, the article of law and the link to its official text.
How to set up an association (NGO). From three people with an idea to a registered organisation with a tax code and a bank account: the name, the statute, the registered office, the district court (judecătoria), ANAF (Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală, the National Tax Administration Agency), beneficial owners and the yearly obligations. At the end, the guide also has a model statute for you to fill in.
How to write a petition. How to write to an institution so that you get an answer: what the petition must contain, whom to send it to, how to keep the registration number, how soon you must receive an answer and what you can do if you do not. The guide has a short model petition.
How a citizens' initiative works. How you yourself can propose a local council decision, a law or a change to the Constitution, how many signatures you need and how to collect them so that they are valid. In brief, also the European citizens' initiative.
What these guides do not say
- They are not a substitute for legal advice. They are written to help you find your way. For a specific case, especially before going to court, ask a lawyer for advice.
- Laws change. We checked the texts on legislatie.just.ro and on the official websites on 6 October 2026. Before you file anything, check the current version of the law through the link under each step.
- Costs and required documents may differ from one court, town hall or institution to another. Ask at the front desk or at the court registry before you leave home.
- The guides do not tell you which cause to support. They only show you how to use the tools that the law gives to everyone, equally.