Improving the legislation on preventive archaeology in Romania – an urgent requirement for the protection of archaeological heritage

Preventive archaeology in Romania has been only quite recently formally regulated by law. Even though the principles established by the Malta Convention, which regulates the guidelines for the protection of archaeological heritage, are complied with, at least in theory, there are numerous shortcomings at the national level. Based on discussions with several archaeologists and other stakeholders involved in archaeological research and heritage protection in Romania, we would like to present some of the issues raised. We offer recent convincing examples, but also potential solutions to these issues, which clearly affect Romania’s cultural heritage protection and research. We refer to both the difficulties encountered by archaeologists due to the confusion and shortcomings present in the legal texts, but also to the inability of the authorities to enforce the existing laws.