On July 1, President Maia Sandu held press conferenceat which she called on the government, the tax service and the National Anti-Corruption Center (NCC) to conduct an audit of all state-owned enterprises. After the scandal with salaries in MoldATSA, the head of state emphasized that such abuses are incompatible with the values promoted by the authorities, and those responsible must be punished “regardless of party affiliation, relationship or other connections.” Regarding Anastasia Taburceanu, who was involved in the MoldATSA scandal, the head of state again emphasized that she did not know about what was happening and could not explain her actions. “In almost every family there is that person who creates trouble,” she added.
The president admitted that the ruling PAS party lost some of the support of citizens due to the scandal with salaries in MoldATSA. She demanded that the government conduct audits of all state-owned enterprises and review the way people are appointed to key positions. According to the president, candidates must be carefully checked, including by involving the ISS and the National ACC. Sandu also called on the Cabinet of Ministers to review the composition of the administrative councils of state-owned enterprises and reduce their number.
“What happened at MoldATSA and other violations that took place are incompatible with our values. The fact that someone close to me did something like this makes the situation worse. I want to state with all sincerity that I did not know about these abuses, but this is not an excuse,” Sandu emphasized.
In addition, the president expects state-owned enterprises to begin publishing performance indicators, information about their activities and the salaries of their employees, as well as reports on their audits. “Everything we have achieved has been built on the trust of people, and in recent days this trust has been seriously shaken. This is a test of honesty and we will restore order,” Sandu assured.
The head of state called on the control authorities to conduct inspections at state-owned enterprises as soon as possible. “The government must intervene to draw a clear line between fair, objective compensation and harm to the public purse. I do not have the authority to indicate, but I ask the Tax Service, the NAC and other relevant institutions to check reports of violations and hold violators accountable. “Nothing can justify abuse. Any amount obtained illegally or through abuse must be returned to the state. We will carry out a general purge. “Everyone who broke the law will be punished,” the president said.
The President was unable to answer the question of how many of her relatives work in government agencies. At the same time, she assured that most of them honestly built their careers. “Yes, some of them have been working in government agencies for many years, some in the private sector. People built careers and most of them are honest workers who receive honest salaries,” Sandu says.
Regarding her cousin Anastasia Taburceanu, Sandu said that she regrets that there is a person in her family “who creates trouble.” At the same time, she emphasized that she “always earned an honest living, trying to be an example for everyone and for her family too.”
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Earlier, the publication ZdG found out that Sandu’s cousin Anastasia Taburceanu, during her year of work at MoldATSA received more than a million lei (120 thousand lei per month). After this information appeared, Taburceanu announced her resignation from MoldATSA and reportedwhich will return all received allowances and additional payments. She also apologized for the consequences of her decisions, saying they “caused people who had nothing to do with this situation to suffer.”
After this, it turned out that from October 2024 to June 2026, Taburceanu also held the position of communications specialist in the State Chancellery within the framework of a project funded by the European Union, receiving a salary of €4 thousand.
In a comment to Newsmaker, the EU Delegation confirmed Taburceanu’s position in the European project and that she resigned in June 2026. According to the mission, the EBRD is now assessing its contract to decide whether “additional measures are needed.” The delegation also assured that it had taken note of the published information and expects that the Moldovan authorities will take measures “in accordance with the principles of transparency and EU standards.”
Newsmaker also contacted the government press service for comment. They stated that they did not know the details of Taburceanu’s employment, since her work contract was concluded with donors. “The government is not a party to this contract and, therefore, does not have access to its financial provisions,” the Cabinet reported.
On the evening of June 30, PAS leader Igor Grosu announced exception Taburchan from the party.
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