Romania’s connection to the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI)
It all began months ago, on June 9, 2024, when the country’s election commission announced its plan to integrate blockchain technology into the electoral process. Skepticism abounded—could a nation often criticized for deep-rooted corruption really pull off such an ambitious project?
Fast forward to last night, when the first set of elections under this groundbreaking system took place. Romania officially became one of the first nations to use blockchain not just as a theoretical tool, but as a functional backbone for electoral integrity.
Blockchain at the Polls: A Glimpse Into the System
Romania’s blockchain infrastructure was developed by the Serviciul de Telecomunicații Speciale (STS) in collaboration with academic institutions and public authorities. This wasn’t just a patchwork solution—it was an integrated system designed to transform how elections are monitored and secured.
Two key systems were upgraded with blockchain:
1. SIMPV - Tracks voter turnout and prevents duplicate or illegal voting.
2. SICPV - Digitally consolidates vote tallies to minimize human error and fraud.
Using blockchain technology, these systems recorded every transaction (like a vote) onto an immutable digital ledger. Each block was timestamped, linked to the previous block, and validated through a decentralized network spanning academic and governmental nodes.
But what really stood out was Romania’s connection to the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI). By anchoring data on a pan-European blockchain network, Romania ensured that election records were not only secure but auditable at a global scale.
The Night That Changed Romanian Democracy
Election night began like any other, but with one critical difference: every vote and voter presence was tracked and encrypted in real-time. Each block contained public data like voter turnout by location, gender, and age, as well as private, encrypted data such as voter ID hashes.
Every five seconds, new transactions were validated and added to the blockchain, with the integrity of the process secured by decentralized nodes hosted across institutions. Meanwhile, an international audience, including European regulators, could observe the process through EBSI anchors, ensuring unparalleled transparency.
This isn’t just a step forward —it’s a potential blueprint for the world.
How Blockchain Changed the Game
The deployment of blockchain during last night’s elections delivered key outcomes:
1. Unmatched Transparency: Voters could access public data, and international observers praised the system’s ability to verify election integrity in real-time.
2. Speed and Accuracy: Vote counting and verification were faster than ever, with fewer opportunities for tampering or error.
3. Security on a Global Scale: The integration with EBSI offered additional layers of trust and accountability, making it nearly impossible to tamper with data.
4. Cultural Resistance: While the technology shone, some reports suggested that political operatives resistant to change might try to undermine public perception of the system in the coming months.
The Next Chapter for Blockchain in Democracy
Romania’s leap forward marks the beginning of blockchain’s transition from “casino phase” to real-world application. In a nation often defined by corruption scandals, the adoption of blockchain may rewrite the narrative entirely.
Yet, challenges remain. Will the political establishment fully embrace this transparency? Will citizens trust a system they can’t see with their own eyes?
Romania’s success last night suggests that blockchain’s role in democracy is no longer a question of if but when. And as Edward Snowden once hinted, the “forest animals” of Romania might just be ahead of the pack.
The question now is whether other nations will follow suit—or fall further behind.