Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has officially signed a new law aimed at regulating the country's brown bear population. The legislation provides a legal framework for managing the number of bears, which have increasingly encroached upon human settlements in recent years.

Proponents of the law argue that the measure is a necessary response to public safety concerns, citing a sharp increase in bear attacks and frequent sightings in towns and villages. By implementing a culling program, authorities intend to reduce the frequency of these dangerous encounters and protect local communities.

While the government maintains that the law is a pragmatic solution to a growing public safety crisis, the decision has sparked debate regarding wildlife conservation. The legislation marks a shift in how Romania manages its large carnivore population, moving toward more active intervention to control numbers. The law is expected to be implemented through specific quotas, though details on the scale of the cull remain a subject of ongoing discussion among environmental agencies and local officials.