President Maia Sandu now has an adviser for relations with religious cults. As it turned out, he was the son-in-law of the secretary of the Moldavian Metropolis, Ion Mocanu. The Bessarabia Metropolis stated that it was shocked by this appointment. NM was looking into whether there was any basis in the accusations of a conflict of interest, whether the Moldovan Metropolis would now receive any benefits, and why the president even needed an adviser on religious issues.
New Presidential Advisor
Advisor to the President Ion Mocanu took up his duties on April 28. Sandu signed the decree on his appointment the day before. The new adviser will be responsible for communication between the presidential administration and religious organizations and advise the authorities on issues of cooperation with representatives of cults within the framework of the law.
In the past, Mocanu has held leadership positions in youth organizations such as AIESEC Cahul, and has been a trainer in various educational programs and regional development initiatives, including USAID-funded projects.
Will Sandu deal with the metropolises?
Sandu appointed a religious relations advisor for the first time. Political expert Ion Tabarta noted that the religious problem has always been relevant for Moldova. According to the 2024 census, 95% of the population of Moldova are Orthodox Christians. At the same time, according to surveys, the church enjoys the greatest trust among the population.
The appointment of a new adviser appears to indicate that the president intends to address church issues. There are two Orthodox metropolitanates in Moldova: Moldavian (part of the Russian Orthodox Church as a self-governing metropolitanate) and the Bessarabian Metropolis (part of the Romanian Orthodox Church). Conflicts periodically flare up between them, which is why the church finds itself at the center of a scandal. One example is the conflict in the village of Dereneu. There, the temple of the Moldavian Metropolis was transferred by decision of the court of the Bessarabia Metropolis, which led to protests. Despite the division of state and church in Moldova, politicians commented with all their might on the situation in Dereneu.
Tebartse argues that the beneficiaries of metropolitan conflicts are pro-Russian politicians. “Moreover, they constantly use the church in their propaganda campaigns. Let’s remember Shor, who actively financed the trips of priests to Russia. In this way, he wanted to enlist their support,” the expert recalled.
Perhaps the leader of the Socialist Party, Igor Dodon, uses the church theme most actively. He has repeatedly emphasized that Moldovan society is Orthodox, and he himself publicly participates in religious holidays and ceremonies.
According to Tebarta, the task of the new adviser may be to suppress situations where the church is used for political purposes.
Former deputy Vlad Kubryakov, close to the Bessarabia Metropolis, on the contrary, considers the new position “useless.” According to him, this is a return of power to the old, “Soviet” type of thinking. “No country in the European Union has separate presidential advisers on religious affairs. As a rule, in democratic countries, religious advisers are part of the government/executive structures, and not officials subordinate to the head of state. The creation of this position in the presidential administration reminds of the existence of a “commissioner for the affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Moldavian SSR” and a “commissioner for religious affairs in the Moldavian SSR,” says Kubryakov. He is confident that now the state will pursue a certain policy in the sphere of cults and abandon the principle of religious neutrality.
Will the Moldovan Metropolitanate receive preferences?
The appointment of the son-in-law of the secretary of the Moldavian Metropolitanate, Vadim Keibash, as the presidential adviser on religious cults has already provoked a scandal. Keibash himself told NM that he does not see a conflict of interest in this appointment, since his powers and the powers of the presidential adviser are different and clearly regulated. “We understand the importance of public perception and operate responsibly and transparently. Appointment to a public position is a decision of government agencies. My activities in the metropolitan area are strictly institutional in nature within the framework of canonical and administrative powers,” Keibash said.
This appointment caused “shock” in the Bessarabian Metropolis. However, the representative of this metropolis, Gabriel-Andrei Gerase, urged not to draw premature conclusions. “Let’s proceed from the presumption of innocence. Let’s start a dialogue and see how religious life in Moldova will develop after this decision (by the president). To be honest, I am shocked by the information you gave me (that Mocanu is Keibash’s son-in-law). I can’t come to my senses. I didn’t expect this. I perceived the appointment of an adviser on religious cults as an act of goodwill and openness of the authorities to religious life. I didn’t think things would take such a turn,” Gerase said.
Ion Tabarta, meanwhile, believes that there is no conflict of interest in the appointment of Mocanu: “The Church is not a state institution of power. The church and the presidential administration have a completely different type of relationship. Let’s see how these relationships will be built in the future, and whether the Moldavian Metropolis will have any preferences.”
Vlad Cubryakov, in turn, believes that this appointment will bring harm to the Bessaraba Metropolis: “We are talking about the intersection of interests and even a kind of mutual interest between the secretary of the Moldovan Metropolis Vadimoi Keibash and Ion Mocanu, as well as those who proposed and decided to create this position.”
Need a crisis manager, not a religious manager?
Political analyst Jan Lisniewski called the creation of the new position a useless step. We don’t have many religious cults. The President does not need to study their characteristics and delve into their differences. Rather, a crisis manager is needed here, because the same conflict between the metropolises of Moldova and Bessarabia is not a religious conflict, but an administrative one,” Lisnevsky noted.
Nevertheless, the presidential administration is confident that Mocanu will deal with administrative problems and will carry out his duties objectively and impartially in relation to all religious cults of the country. “Ion Mocanu has experience in business consulting, innovation and education, as well as project management. Previously, he collaborated as a financial consultant, including with the Metropolis of Bessarabia. He has a university degree in international relations and European studies, as well as accounting, and also has certificates in leadership, coaching and mentoring,” the presidential administration noted.
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Before the appointment of Ion Mocanu, the president’s team included seven advisers and two special envoys. Advisors:
Olga Roshka – foreign policy,
Stanislav Sekrieru – defense and national security,
Stella Jeantoine – political issues and civil society,
Mikhaela Fedoseev – interdepartmental coordination and organization of work processes,
Veronica Mihailov-Moraru – justice,
Larisa Mikulets – connections with the diaspora,
Alexandru Gasnas – healthcare.
Special Envoys:
Dorin Recan – development and sustainability issues
Nicu Popescu – European affairs and strategic partnerships.
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