During the last days, two high-ranking Moldovan officials – President Igor Dodon and Prime Minister Ion Chicu – were involved in several scandals, as they deceitfully challenged the most important COVID-19 restrictions. Ironically, these are the restrictions that were voted, adopted or promoted by them.

The idea of being special as a politician in power, having special rights and being exempt from any rules, is not new at all in the Moldovan society. A lot of high-ranking officials did it before. It’s just that their behaviour didn’t directly endanger the life and health of citizens during a pandemic crisis.

The weeding of Chicu Junior

The organisation of weddings and other family celebrations is prohibited in the Republic of Moldova, according to the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission (NEPHC) decision adopted on August 26, 2020.

Nevertheless, a winery located near the capital city received distinguished guests on Friday evening. As it was disclosed by journalists, the whole event was about the wedding of prime minister’s son.

The next day, a video of that wedding was posted online. By watching it, one can clearly confirm that it’s about a wedding.

Representatives of “Cu Sens” media project (that published the video) stated that all access roads to the winery restaurant were supervised by security guards who restricted the access of journalists, including on public roads. “The local authorities of nearby villages were informed that, for two days, no one should walk around,” as it is mentioned in the post.

The MP Radu Marian notified the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the police regarding the event. Later on, he filed a complaint to the General Prosecutor’s Office, requesting an investigation on the matter of abuse of power, which is sanctioned with a fine of at least 67 000 lei or with imprisonment from 2 to 6 years, with the deprivation of the right to hold public office for a term of 5 to 10 years.

Since Friday, no reaction to the accusations brought against him was published by Prime Minister or his spokesman.

At the end of June, Chicu stated, in a TV show, that the event will be postponed. “Imagine that you are organising the party, and in three days your guests arrive at the hospital. What can you be called afterwards?” said the prime minister back then.

Travelling to Athos for an advice

President Igor Dodon is even a bigger ‘champion’ of defying any rule when it comes to his own or his political interests. Just as every year, he went to the Athonite monasteries to “pray for people, for a Moldova that lives in peace and unity,” as he states on social media. Not even the coronavirus pandemic was an impediment to interrupting this tradition.

Previously, he announced his vacation, together with the first lady, Galina Dodon, at a sanatorium in the Russian Federation, while their children were on holiday in Turkey.

Generally, Dodon is one of the most iconic example of a public anti-model when it comes to following rules. At the beginning of the pandemic, the president expressed a superficial and uninformed opinion regarding the novel coronavirus, saying it is not more than a flu that affects merely older people. He used to post photos and videos where one observe that meetings with local public authorities, businesses, civilians, including older people and children, were conducted without wearing a protective mask and without keeping social distance.

On August 24, right after he returned from Russia, the president went directly to a party with Moldovan artists, organised within the pale of a national campaign named “I love Moldova”. That was while he was supposed to respect the isolation regime for at least 10-12 days. Indeed, what a strange way to express the love for your own country.

“There was no rule violation. It was an outdoor meeting with 20-30 people,” he claimed.

Nota Bene

On August 29, the Minister of Health, Labour and Social Protection, Viorica Dumbrăveanu, announced that she was tested positive with COVID-19. She also annexed the confirming certificate stating August 25. From Tuesday to Saturday, nothing about the positive test was mentioned. The minister participated in online and (maybe) offline meetings as well.

Judging by the actions of other countries’ officials, the Moldovan ones must resign. Judging by the popular idea of being special as a Moldovan politician in power, no one would do that voluntarily.

So, are Moldovan officials any special when it comes to coronavirus restrictions? No.

These people are directly responsible not only for their health or that of their families, they also take the most important decisions regarding the coronavirus pandemic situation. Therefore, no one should wonder why the crisis in Moldova has been managed so poorly, as the country’s officials don’t even follow their own rules.

Photo: Igor Dodon| Facebook