Former Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (LDPM), Vlad Filat, has publicly raised a series of uncomfortable questions about the activities of Dorin Recean, widely viewed as a possible successor to President Maia Sandu.
The corruption scandal surrounding MoldATSA, Moldova’s state-owned air traffic management company, appears to be escalating once again. After it was revealed that Dumitru Vangheli had allegedly submitted forged credentials before being appointed the company’s general director—and was subsequently dismissed in disgrace—new controversies over questionable appointments to lucrative public positions have continued to emerge.
The government attempted to contain the fallout by dismissing four high-profile officials connected to the scandal, while President Maia Sandu held a press conference addressing the issue. However, rather than calming public concern, these moves have raised even more questions.
The issue is not only why the Presidency is commenting on appointments within state-owned enterprises instead of the government. More fundamentally, it concerns how strategic state companies such as MoldATSA are actually being managed.
At the center of the debate once again is Dorin Recean, a close ally of Maia Sandu, who recently announced that he had been tasked with restructuring MoldATSA and would oversee the process through August.
Filat did not mince words. He publicly demanded answers regarding Recean’s legal status and authority. Specifically, he questioned what official position Recean held when Vangheli was appointed and when the president’s cousin, Anastasia Taburceanu, was hired. He also asked on what legal basis Recean—who, according to Filat, does not currently hold a formal public office—has become involved in managing a state enterprise.
“I expect public answers to these questions, exactly as they have been asked. People deserve to know the truth, because honest answers will reveal the full extent of the hypocrisy of the current PAS government,” Filat stated.
Opposition Calls for an EU Audit
At the same time, Filat’s party has taken its concerns to Brussels.
The LDPM has formally called on European institutions—including the European Commission, the European Court of Auditors, and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)—to conduct an audit of EU funds allocated to Moldova.
According to the party, both European and Moldovan taxpayers have the right to know how European financial assistance is being spent.
The request follows allegations that a number of positions within Moldova’s public administration are financed through European funds, including, according to some reports, the position held by Anastasia Taburceanu within the Prime Minister’s Office, where she allegedly received a monthly salary of approximately €4,000.
“Clientelism and favoritism based on the discretionary use of public resources continue to spread widely throughout the Republic of Moldova. This is happening while a significant share of the population faces poverty, economic insecurity, and a lack of prospects. Under these circumstances, full transparency in the use of European funds is not only an administrative obligation but also a moral duty,” the party’s statement reads.
The LDPM has urged European institutions to make public the results of any audit, the evaluation criteria used, reports on projects financed with EU funds, and conclusions regarding the effectiveness and transparency of European financial assistance in Moldova.
