Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu said in an interview with a Moldovan journalist that Radu Marian had simply become “overworked” and should “learn from his mistake” while continuing to serve in Parliament. According to Grosu, Marian remains “a loyal person.”
Moldovan justice appears to operate by very different standards. Elderly women receive hefty fines, mothers with many children face lengthy prison sentences, while members or allies of the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) are granted the benefit of the doubt, forgiveness, and protection—even when they are linked to corruption scandals and allegations involving millions in public funds.
At least, that is how Grosu sees it.
He says he believes Radu Marian is a devoted member of the team who simply made a mistake—and mistakes, in his view, should be forgiven.
Below is Grosu’s statement in full:
“Radu Marian is someone who has worked extremely actively. He was responsible for around twenty different areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance. I believe in his dedication. He made the mistake of recommending a person who turned out to be a fraudster. He publicly admitted his mistake. Obviously, he must learn from this experience. As I have already said, he is a very dedicated member of our team, committed to our principles, and he will continue his work as a member of Parliament.”
According to critics, the sequence of events unfolded differently. They argue that Radu Marian “accidentally” recommended an individual who allegedly submitted forged documents, while the state enterprise’s human resources department and Moldova’s Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) also failed to detect the irregularities.
That individual was subsequently appointed to a senior position with a substantial salary. He later approved the appointment of President Maia Sandu’s cousin, whose candidacy, critics claim, had likewise been supported by Marian. She reportedly received a generous salary while labor inspectors, the HR department, and the SIS allegedly failed to notice that she was not regularly present at work.
When the scandal became public, Marian kept a low profile, while other officials—considered less important to PAS—lost their positions. Now, after public attention has subsided, Grosu has announced that Marian will remain in office, presenting the decision as an act of fairness and forgiveness.
Critics contrast this approach with the authorities’ treatment of Evghenia Guțul, the Bashkan (Governor) of Gagauzia, who, they argue, has received no such understanding or leniency. They also point to teachers across Moldova, many of whom have reportedly waited more than a year even for salary indexation.
As critics put it, the difference is simple: the teachers are not members of PAS.
