Romania can now shoot down unauthorized foreign military drones

Romania can now shoot down foreign military drones that violate its airspace, after the country’s Constitutional Court approved a new law on Thursday.

The legislation, passed by parliament earlier this month, comes amid ongoing fighting in neighbouring Ukraine.

Three far-right parties — AUR, S.O.S. Romania, and POT — had challenged the law, arguing it grants foreign powers undue authority. Critics have accused these parties of being sympathetic to Russia.

The court dismissed their complaint.

As a NATO member, Romania closely monitors Russian airstrikes near its border with Ukraine. Debris from Russian drones has fallen on Romanian territory several times since the war began.

The country’s military had long pushed for clearer legal authority to shoot down unauthorized drones, even in peacetime.