Green waste in Romanian politics: how an environmental company financed the PSD

A Romanian company operating in the sensitive field of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has provided millions of lei in loans to the Social Democratic Party (PSD), raising serious questions about whether funds collected from consumers for environmental protection have been diverted into politics.

Redpoint Management Solutions SRL, an Organisation for the Transfer of Responsibility (OTR) authorised by the Ministry of Environment, loaned the PSD 1.65 million lei in 2024 and 2 million lei in 2025. These amounts were officially declared to the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) and published in the Official Monitor on 24 March 2026. Additional loans from closely linked individuals and companies brought the total support from the same network even higher.

Redpoint was established in 2020 and is authorised to take over the legal recycling obligations of producers and importers of electrical and electronic products. Its revenue comes primarily from the so-called Green Stamp – a mandatory environmental fee added to the price of electronics that consumers ultimately pay. Under Romanian law and the EU WEEE Directive, these funds have a strictly defined purpose: financing the collection, treatment, and recycling of waste electrical equipment. They cannot legally be used for other activities.

According to legal provisions and company statutes, an OTR like Redpoint must act as a “zero-sum” operator. It can use the money only to pay certified collectors and recyclers, cover limited operational costs (capped at around 15-30% depending on recent amendments), and support system development. Dividend distribution or financing political parties is explicitly not permitted.

Despite this, Redpoint – indirectly controlled through Elite Urban Environment SRL – channelled significant sums to the PSD in the form of loans. Elite Urban is 45% owned by former PMP deputy Costin Sebastian Moise, 45% by Mihai Bogdan Giubeca, and 10% by another associate. Moise’s family members have also been involved in the financing: his mother, Elena Moise, personally loaned the PSD 650,000 lei in 2024, while a company linked to his father, Elite Architectural Design, provided 1.6 million lei in the same year. Giubeca himself loaned another 300,000 lei in 2025.

The timing is noteworthy. Redpoint’s operating licence was renewed in June 2025 by then-Environment Minister Mircea Fechet (from the PSD-PNL coalition). The largest loan from Redpoint itself – 2 million lei – followed shortly afterwards.

Legal experts consulted by PressOne argue that using Green Stamp funds, even indirectly through loans, for political purposes appears to violate the dedicated nature of the money. University lecturer Diana Ionescu from Babeș-Bolyai University stated that funds collected by OTRs “cannot be used for foreign purposes outside WEEE management, including granting loans to political parties.”

Costin Sebastian Moise, who left active politics in 2023, has continued to represent the company publicly. In late 2025 he appeared in media as a representative of “Redpoint Recycling” (an entity that does not officially exist). Neither Redpoint nor the individuals involved responded to PressOne’s requests for comment, sent on 6 April 2026, despite follow-up attempts.

The case highlights broader vulnerabilities in Romania’s environmental compliance system. There are only about 20 authorised OTRs managing producer responsibility for different waste streams. While they play a crucial role in helping Romania meet EU recycling targets, the sector operates with public-derived funds and relatively light oversight on how money flows once collected.

Romanian law on political financing allows loans up to a certain ceiling (calculated as 500 minimum gross salaries), and the contributions from Redpoint and its network were structured precisely at or near these maximum limits. By framing the support as loans rather than direct donations, the amounts remain legally declarable, yet the origin of the money – consumer-paid environmental fees – creates a clear ethical and potentially legal grey area.

The journalistic investigation reveals how a company from the “green” sector, entrusted with managing polluting waste on behalf of society, has become a significant financier of one of Romania’s major political parties. It raises uncomfortable questions about the separation between environmental obligations funded by ordinary citizens and the financing of political campaigns.

As Romania continues to struggle with waste management performance and EU environmental targets, cases like this risk undermining public confidence in both the green transition and the transparency of political funding. Whether authorities will examine the origin and legality of these loans remains to be seen.

The original journalistic investigation in Romanian by EUalive’s partner PressOne.ro can be found here.

Caption: An AI-generated illustrative image