A major political scandal has erupted in Romania, leading to the unexpected resignation of Defense Minister Ionuta Mosteanu. The high-ranking official, who had been in office for only six months, was forced to leave the cabinet after it was revealed that he had falsified his academic credentials on his resume. This incident highlights the growing problem of trust in Romanian politicians and calls into question ethical standards in the government of this NATO member country.
The scandal erupted this week when Romanian media outlets, notably Libertatea, published an investigation into discrepancies in the minister’s biography. According to the materials, in his official CV posted on the website of the state-owned company TAROM during Moșteanu’s tenure at the Ministry of Transport, he stated that he graduated from the University of Bucharest with a degree in Management between 1996 and 2000. However, it later turned out that this was a lie: in fact, Moșteanu received a bachelor’s degree from Biotera University with a degree in Engineering and Agritourism Management.
In response to the publication, Moșteanu posted a scan of his actual diploma from Bioterra on Facebook, acknowledging “inaccuracies” in previous documents. “I worked for 20 years in Romanian and multinational companies, had my own business, and constantly studied to improve my skills,” he wrote, trying to justify himself with his professional experience. However, this admission only increased the pressure on the politician.
On November 27, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) senators, Daniel Zamfir, demanded his resignation, stating, “No imposters in public office!” A similar call came from the leader of the opposition party AUR, George Simion, who accused the minister of outright lying on his CV. Disagreements also arose within Moșteanu’s party, the Union for the Salvation of Romania (USR): sources report that members of the National Bureau discussed withdrawing their political support.
The culmination came on November 28: during a meeting with his party colleagues, Moșteanu announced his resignation and then officially confirmed it with a post on Facebook. “At a time when pressure from Russia is intensifying, it is necessary to focus on national security,” he stressed, explaining his decision with a desire to avoid distracting attention from priorities.
Moștean’s resignation is not an isolated case in Romanian politics, where problems with academic integrity have repeatedly undermined the reputation of officials. Romania, ranked 69th in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (2020), suffers from systemic problems with the authenticity of diplomas among the elite. At least seven of the 24 education ministers in post-communist Romania have been accused of plagiarism.
With Romania playing a key role in NATO’s eastern flank, such a scandal undermines trust both within the country and beyond. Experts note that this is a timely reminder of the need for strict ethical standards for politicians, especially in sensitive areas such as defense.
Despite the scandal, Moșteanu emphasizes his contribution: in six months in office, he has promoted several military programs. However, the public demands accountability, not excuses. This case could be a catalyst for reforms in the diploma verification system—perhaps with the introduction of mandatory independent checks for all members of the cabinet.
In the end, the scandal involving Romania’s defense minister is a clear example of how personal “inaccuracies” can turn into a national crisis of trust. While Bolian searches for a replacement, Romanian politics reminds us once again that in the age of digitalization, it is becoming increasingly difficult to lie about the past.