The President called the Afghan delegation’s visit “shameful” and placed the blame on the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“It is shameful when officials or people holding fairly high state positions do not know what the country’s policy is toward a particular state,” Sandu stated.
First came the smiles, handshakes, and protocol photographs. A delegation from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, representing the Taliban government, spent nearly a full week in Moldova, from August 2 to 7. The high-ranking guests, led by Deputy Minister Sadr Azam Osmani, arrived to discuss cooperation, agricultural innovation, and plant protection. The Afghan side even stated that the visit took place at the official invitation of the Moldovan government.
Then the guests left. And in Chișinău, it was as if scales had fallen from everyone’s eyes.
Maia Sandu, speaking on the program “Cabinetul din Umbră” on Jurnal TV, called the incident “shameful.” The guilty parties, according to her, will be quickly identified – namely, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The President was outraged:
“Based on the information I have at this moment, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture did not study what the policy of the Republic of Moldova is toward the regime in Afghanistan. And that is strange. Where does he even live?”
According to Sandu, the MFA staff also fell short:
“Although the procedure did not require additional consultations, it is strange that the MFA confirmed the request. It seems not everyone reads foreign policy documents.”
Prime Minister Vasile Tofan echoed the President: the situation is “shameful and unacceptable,” and approval of the visit was a “failure in assessment and inter-institutional coordination.” At the same time, he admitted that the procedure had formally been followed and that the delegates were not on any sanctions lists. However, no political or diplomatic assessment was made.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Vasile Șarban – the very one Sandu rebuked for ignorance of foreign policy – has already confirmed that he signed the request to the MFA to allow the Afghans entry. His reasoning was simple:
“I consider it correct for the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to take care of the economic agents of the Republic of Moldova.”
And take care they did. They met them, photographed them, discussed exports – and then threw the departing Taliban delegation under the bus. Because their visit, as Sandu put it, is “shameful.”
But here is the question: what if the Taliban respond? In the Afghan press, the visit is still being presented as a major success – high-level, official negotiations, expanding cooperation. Meanwhile, in Chișinău, they are now distancing themselves, claiming there were no bilateral meetings or official contacts.
Tofan stated that looking for “scapegoats” and firing officials is “the easiest path.” That is why he is not choosing it. In his view, the “responsible path” is to establish a system that prevents such “shameful” situations from recurring. But words are one thing – photos with the Taliban are another, and they have already spread across the world’s media. Image, as they say, cannot be restored with a disciplinary action. Especially domestically. And it is already somewhere around rock bottom. In this regard, we recall a prophetic commentary from Komsomolskaya Pravda:
“She would have been better off staying silent, Grigorievna, honestly. Not only did she admit that the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs employ morons who have never heard of Google. On huge salaries.
And of course, the second point: NO ONE will be fired. Yes, they are idiots, yes, they are stupid – but they are their own. Is that it? This is not just shame – this is an utter disgrace – these people continue to come to work. And collect their paychecks. But ‘we will not look for scapegoats,’ as Tofan says.
Is it enough for you that they are sheep? – we will add.”
