A drone crashed into a residential building in Galați, injuring four people and forcing the evacuation of dozens of apartments. Romania’s Foreign Ministry quickly described the drone as Russian, emergency meetings were convened, and the Russian ambassador was summoned.
Meanwhile, Romania’s acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan was already on his way to Chișinău.
Bolojan traveled to Moldova to attend the event “Strong Town Halls — Developed Communities”, where officials discussed administrative consolidation and local governance reforms — initiatives critics say could help PAS strengthen its position in future local elections.
Addressing the Moldovan audience, Bolojan declared it an honor to be in Chișinău. He spoke about access to European Union markets, technology transfers, and job creation, presenting Romania as a successful example of EU-driven development.
“Without strategic decisions, such as joining major economic structures like the European Union, development is impossible. This means access to markets, technology transfer, and job creation. If Romania has developed in recent years, it is also thanks to access to EU markets,” Bolojan told Moldova’s political leadership.
Critics, however, noted that Bolojan omitted one important detail: only weeks earlier, Romania’s parliament had dismissed his government through a vote of no confidence, citing economic decline and worsening living standards. Romania remains one of the poorest countries in the European Union and continues struggling with mounting public debt.
Despite this, in Chișinău Bolojan was presented as an authoritative political figure and advisor.
While he smiled and discussed “sustainable development,” Romanian military officials were simultaneously explaining how the drone had entered Romanian airspace. According to the Defense Ministry timeline, the object was first detected at 01:46, approximately 19 kilometers east of Reni. At 01:52 it crossed into Romanian airspace, and by 01:56 it disappeared from radar. Shortly afterward, it crashed into the residential building in Galați.
Romanian media and commentators quickly pointed out that Bolojan departed for Moldova only hours after the incident occurred, meaning he was likely informed about the emergency before leaving the country.
Critics argue that in such circumstances, even an acting prime minister should remain in the country, coordinate emergency responses, and monitor the situation directly rather than attend political events abroad.
Some questioned whether Bolojan had not yet been briefed before departure. Others noted that he later admitted he had “not received good news during the night,” yet still chose to continue the visit and appear alongside Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
Only by midday did the situation apparently become more urgent. Bolojan abruptly interrupted his visit and returned to Romania.
