I. In accordance with the provisions of Article 19 of Law 101/1998 - The NBR Act, as amended and supplemented, the National Bank of Romania shall withdraw from circulation starting 5 December 2003 the paper banknotes with face value of ROL 50,000 - year of issue 2000 and ROL 100,000 - year of issue 1998.
After 31 May 2004, the above-mentioned banknotes cease to be legal tender and may not be used as legal means of payment.
The banknotes with face value of ROL 50,000 - year of issue 2000 and ROL 100,000 - year of issue 1998 shall be withdrawn as follows:
Between 5 December 2003 - 28 February 2004, the banknotes that are to be withdrawn will be accepted as usual for payment or exchange by economic agents and other institutions. They must not put them again into circulation, but deposit them with the banks they have their accounts opened with.
Between 1 March - 31 May 2004, the banknotes to be retired shall be received as means of payment or for exchange purposes by banks only. Commercial banks shall not put them again into circulation, but deposit them with the National Bank of Romania.
As, after 31 May 2004, the paper banknotes with face value of ROL 50,000 - year of issue 2000 and ROL 100,000 - year of issue 1998 cease to be legal tender, commercial banks shall neither receive them from individuals or economic agents, nor exchange them.
Between 1 June - 31 December 2004, the paper banknotes with face value of ROL 50,000 - year of issue 2000 and ROL 100,000 - year of issue 1998 may be exchanged by the National Bank of Romania branches in Bucharest, Cluj Napoca, Iaşi and Timişoara only.
II. In virtue of Law 101/1998-The NBR Act, the National Bank of Romania shall put into circulation starting 5 December 2003 a polymer banknote with face value of ROL 1,000,000.
Characteristics of the banknote are the following:
- size: 168 x 78 mm, with a ± 1 mm margin;
- watermark: the portrait of the playwright Ion Luca Caragiale and the NBR's logo;
- main colour: light blue;
- intaglio both on obverse and reverse;
- transparent window with the face value "1000000" printed on it;
The obverse displays as main element the portrait of the playwright Ion Luca Caragiale, his name in capital letters, his facsimile signature, and the years of birth and death "1852-1912". A violet (Viola sororia) and two masques, one of them depicting Comedy, are placed in the centre. The bright effect of the two masques suggests the brightness of the limelight.
The face value in figures and letters is printed both vertically and horizontally, as well as the signature of both the Governor and the Head Cashier, Romania's coat-of-arms, the name of the bank of issue "BANCA NAŢIONALĂ A ROMÂNIEI", the inset with its logo and the year of issue "2003".
The reverse pictures the former building of the National Theatre in Bucharest, the second symbol of theatre - the masque of Tragedy - and the statue of the playwright Ion Luca Caragiale by Constantin Baraschi. The reverse also includes the face value in figures and letters, the name of the issuing bank "BANCA NAŢIONALĂ A ROMÂNIEI" and the logo "BNR" placed on the right upper side and on the left lower side.
The text "FALSIFICAREA ACESTOR BILETE SE PEDEPSEŞTE CONFORM LEGILOR" (The forgery of the notes is punishable by law) is printed below the playwright's statue. The serial number of the banknote is printed in figures and letters in two colours as follows: the fonts in black ink and with the same height are printed vertically on the left side, the fonts in red ink are printed in ascending height order on the right side.
For the purpose of protecting against forgery, the banknote includes the following safety elements intended especially for the public:
- the transparent window: clear area with golden adornments, visible from both sides of the banknote, placed on the left side of the obverse and having the face value "1000000" embossed within;
- relief printing, detectable by touch;
- on the obverse: the portrait and facsimile signature of the playwright, the floral adornment, Romania's coat-of-arms, the name of the issuing bank "BANCA NAŢIONALĂ A ROMÂNIEI" and the inset with the logo BNR, the face value in figures and letters, the year of issue "2003" and the signatures of the governor and head cashier;
- on the reverse: the old building of the National Theatre in Bucharest, the statue of the playwright, the face value "1000000" inscribed vertically, the name of the issuing central bank "BANCA NAŢIONALĂ A ROMÂNIEI" and the NBR logo, the face value in figures and letters inscribed horizontally, the rectangular with the NBR logo;
- latent image: the initials of the playwright Ion Luca Caragiale ("I", "L", "C") included in the picture of the former building of the National Theatre, on the reverse. When the banknote is looked at perpendicularly, the letters are not visible. They become visible when the banknote is looked at from different angles.
- watermark: the portrait and the NBR logo, visible only when held up against the light;
- perfect register printed on both sides of the banknote: a stylised ancient amphitheatre behind the floral adornment, visible when held against the light;
- pearlescent overprint on the obverse of the masque of Comedy and of the stylised masque, visible when the banknote is tilted;
- golden patch on the reverse of the masque of Tragedy;
- optical variable ink; the ink changes its colour from golden to green in the lower central part where the text "lei UN MILION" is inscribed, when the banknote is looked at from different angles; and
- Laser-made microperforations (MicroPerf) of the figure 1,000,000, visible when held against the light.
The design of the banknote is protected by registration with the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks.
Any reproduction in whole or in part of the ROL 1,000,000 banknote for advertising, public disclosure, or other commercial purposes is permitted only with the prior written consent of the National Bank of Romania.
Forgery or any attempted forgery of this banknote is punishable by 3-12 years in prison and denial of rights according to Art. 282 of the Penal Law.