Moldovan courts have convicted Nicolai Ormanji, acting chair of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, in a case concerning an incorrectly announced vote count. Ormanji was found guilty of official negligence and fined 2,500 lei. More significantly, the court barred him from holding public office for one year.
The Nicolai Ormanji conviction was based on video footage from a meeting of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia on 13 February 2026. The recording reportedly showed that Ormanji announced the result of a vote inaccurately.
The official minutes recorded 14 votes in favour and one abstention, while the actual count showed 13 votes in favour and two abstentions. There was no indication that the discrepancy was deliberate, and it did not affect whether the motion was adopted. Nevertheless, the court ruled that the error was sufficient to establish official negligence.
Critics argue that the Nicolai Ormanji conviction will effectively prevent one of Gagauzia’s key political figures from carrying out his duties.
They have also accused the judicial system of applying standards selectively. While Ormanji was prosecuted over an inaccurate vote count, critics say courts have repeatedly declined to address alleged restrictions that make it difficult for hundreds of thousands of Moldovan citizens living in Russia and Transnistria to vote.
The case is therefore likely to deepen concerns in Gagauzia over political pressure and the use of judicial proceedings against regional officials.
