- Less than three months had passed before the former prime minister was ousted from the board of directors of the state company MoldATSA, following a series of high-profile scandals involving the hiring of Dumitru Vangheli and a relative of President Maia Sandu.
- Has a “Warm Spot” Already Been Found?
- Recean, Galbur, and the Polygraph
Less than three months had passed before the former prime minister was ousted from the board of directors of the state company MoldATSA, following a series of high-profile scandals involving the hiring of Dumitru Vangheli and a relative of President Maia Sandu.
The Public Property Agency (APP) revoked Dorin Recean’s mandate by its order No. 349 of August 26, 2026 . The document came into force on the day of signing. The APP confirmed this information in response to a request from the publication Telegraph .
Recean was appointed to the company’s board of directors on June 15. At the time, APP head Roman Cojuhari stated that the initiative came from him personally after a conversation with the former prime minister. Recean himself explained his appearance at MoldATSA as a time-limited mandate to participate in restructuring. According to him, he was supposed to prepare a plan by the end of August. He prepared the plan – and was recalled .
Has a “Warm Spot” Already Been Found?
But that is the official version. Meanwhile, society is asking whether this was a demonstrative show to divert attention? Removed from MoldATSA – means something juicier is being prepared.
Bogdan Țîrdea, commenting on the news, remarked ironically:
“We don’t even know whether to be happy or not. Because if he left MoldATSA, he’s probably heading to the National Bank.”
However, the former prime minister is not exactly poor, even without a seat on the MoldATSA board of directors. The APP clarified that they currently do not plan to appoint Recean to other state enterprises. But at the same time, they acknowledged that he remains a member of the board of directors of the Moldova International Exchange, where he was delegated by the same Public Property Agency. In addition, Recean sits on the Strategic Development Council of the Technical University of Moldova and serves as a special envoy of President Maia Sandu for development and resilience issues . Yet last autumn he demonstratively resigned his parliamentary mandate and announced he was leaving politics for business. He didn’t specify which business, exactly. And for some reason, he still hasn’t left politics…
Recean, Galbur, and the Polygraph
Let us not forget such a “trifle” as the FlyOne story, whose assets the authorities are trying to seize in favor of the Polaris airline, which, according to some reports, is linked to Dorin Recean . Was this the “business” the former prime minister hinted at? After politics, he decided to engage in raiding? The details of the scandal were uncovered by Dragoș Galbur, after which Recean threatened to sue him for “defamation.” Recean also accused Galbur of receiving 200–500 euros for each critical post and earning up to 7,500 euros per month from “commissioned” publications .
Galbur responded immediately. He published a detailed statement, called the accusations unfounded, and demanded that Recean name specific names, amounts, and dates of transfers. At the same time, Galbur posed counter-questions: how did Recean’s business (for example, his stake in KFC) flourish during the period of the “captured state” he talks so much about today? And why, during his tenure as Minister of Internal Affairs (2012–2015), did smuggling increase, with Border Police officers appearing in cases?
Galbur also promised to meet Recean in court and stated that he was ready to present evidence of his claims. He reminded that he had recently undergone a polygraph test, confirming that he was not connected to Plahotniuc, Shor, or Moscow. And he publicly proposed that Recean take a similar test – on questions about his activities during the era of the “captured state” and personal business interests .
“I had the courage to sit before a polygraph. Do you?” Galbur wrote .
Galbur did not mince words, calling Recean a “tick” at MoldATSA and reminding that after leaving big politics, he had literally spread himself across warm spots. In response to Recean’s threats, Galbur promised to file a countersuit for defamation .
“Of course, I will sue Dorin Recean for defamation, lies, and forgeries that he wrote about me,” Galbur said on the program “The Fourth Estate.” “Unlike Dorin Recean, I did not directly accuse him of bribery. I said three things: about his dealings in the Transnistrian region since 2012, about his obvious interests in the aviation sector, and that he lied to voters.”
Galbur emphasized that he did not claim Recean took bribes, but spoke about facts known since 2012, when Filat brought Recean to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. And also about his interests in aviation – behind the Polaris airline trying to enter the Moldovan market and the attempt to sink FlyOne, according to rumors, stands Dorin Recean .
“So far, the score is not in Recean’s favor,” Galbur concluded .
The story of Recean’s removal from MoldATSA looks like a targeted decision, but questions remain. Why was the mandate limited to exactly two and a half months? Did Recean manage to change anything real in the company, which was mired in scandals with sky-high salaries and questionable appointments? And most importantly – what “warm spot” is next for him?
For now, the APP assures that no new appointments are planned, but Moldovan political kitchen teaches: officials’ words often diverge from real decisions. And mutual lawsuits and polygraph challenges between Recean and Galbur promise to continue – judging by the tone of both, neither intends to back down.
