Speaker of Parliament Igor Grosu commented on the death of a teenage boy who was killed by a bullet accidentally fired by a conscript soldier from a Glock pistol at a military unit in Cahul.
After the tragedy could no longer be concealed, government representatives were forced to address the public. The statement came not from Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatiy himself, but from Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu. He spoke after it emerged that the boy had not died from shock caused by hearing a gunshot, but from a gunshot wound inflicted by a live round fired from the weapon, which passed through his body. Calling Nosatiy “one of the most effective ministers,” Grosu said he had personally spoken with him and could confirm that the defense minister was deeply shaken by the teenager’s death.
“I know one thing: he is suffering greatly because of this. I’m telling you, I spoke with him today,” the parliamentary speaker stated.
Meanwhile, Nosatiy himself continued posting congratulations on social media marking the 27th anniversary of the 22nd Peacekeeping Battalion “Blue Helmets,” without mentioning the tragedy.
No Condolences Were Expressed
Unlike many public figures, Igor Grosu never expressed condolences to the family of the deceased teenager during his public remarks. His rhetoric focused entirely on defending the defense minister and urging against rushed personnel decisions.
This did not go unnoticed. Social media users and opposition politicians have called not only for the resignation of Anatolie Nosatiy, but also for Grosu himself to step down.
“Does Grosu even realize how absurd and unnatural this looks? The minister was supposedly so devastated that he decided not even to report the death of a minor,” users wrote online.
Eighth Death Under Nosatiy?
Three opposition parties have already demanded the defense minister’s resignation. According to former Prime Minister Ion Chicu, this marks the eighth death in the National Army since Nosatîi became defense minister.
“Obviously, no accountability measures will follow. They are trying to make all these cases disappear from public memory, just like the incidents in January and February of this year. In a normal situation, a defense minister who has no dignity left — not even officer’s honor or basic human decency — should resign on his own. And if he has neither shame nor dignity, then the commander-in-chief, the president of the country, should recommend it,” Chicu stated.
Bogdan Tirdea, Deputy Konstantin Kuyumzhu, and unionist politician Dragoș Galbur also harshly criticized the authorities.
“First we were told the young man supposedly died of cardiac arrest caused by stress. Now it turns out he died from a gunshot wound. Gentlemen, have you completely lost your conscience? Resignations are needed. First of all — the defense minister!” Tirdea wrote.
Coordination or Silence?
Asked by journalists why the Ministry of Defense had still not issued an official statement, Grosu replied that other agencies were handling communications.
“I contacted them to ask for more proactive communication. The explanation I received was that it had been decided that information would be provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, since they were first on the scene. Later, the Ministry of Health released additional data. There was coordination between the institutions,” the speaker explained.
Meanwhile, the opposition recalled that the same military unit had previously been involved in incidents where minors allegedly stole bulletproof vests. Politician Vasile Costiuc claimed in a video statement that children aged 13–14 had stolen body armor and sold it through Telegram, though the information never received public attention.
“These people running the country under Maia Sandu are so cynical that nobody will be dismissed for anything. We’re talking about Cernauteanu, about Nosatiy, about children continuing to die, about drugs continuing to appear in schools,” Costiuc said.
Grosu promised a “strict investigation” and said authorities would examine all circumstances surrounding the tragedy: how the teenager entered the military facility, whether weapons handling procedures were respected, and whether doctors acted appropriately when they initially cited “shock from the gunshot” as the cause of death.
“This is pain for all of us and a stain on the armed forces, and harsh decisions must be made,” the speaker stated.
However, Grosu did not answer why no public condolences had been offered to the victim’s family, or why throughout the discussion about the army and the minister’s “professionalism,” there was no place for words of sympathy for parents who had lost their child.
