The Government Ordinance (GO) no. 137/2000 regulates the prevention and sanctioning of all forms of discrimination. The GO implements the Directive no. 2000/43/CE implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin, as well as the Directive no. 2000/78/CE establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation.

GO no. 137/2000 protects all individuals regardless of their status. It contains detailed provisions on discrimination, harassment and victimization, and it sets down the sanctions applicable in case these legal provisions are breached.

Article 2 paragraph 1 establishes the definition of discrimination as "any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, social status, belief, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, non-contagious chronic disease, HIV infection, membership of a disadvantaged group and any other criteria which has the purpose or the effect of restriction, elimination of recognition, use or exercise of fundamental human rights and freedoms or of rights recognized by the law in the political, economic, social or cultural field or in any other field of public life."

The following paragraphs extend the definition of discrimination to instruction to discriminate, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimization.

According to the GO, the elimination of all forms of discrimination is achieved by:

- prevention through instituting special measures of protection for disadvantaged persons who do not enjoy equal opportunities; 

- mediation for the amicable resolution of conflicts arising from committing acts / deeds of discrimination;

- sanctioning of the discriminatory behavior. 

The National Council For Combating Discrimination (NCCD) is the competent national authority active in the field of discrimination. The NCCD guarantees the compliance with and the enforcement of the non-discrimination principle, in accordance with the national and international legislation.