Anastasia Taburceanu, who was employed by the state-owned air traffic services provider MoldATSA, where she reportedly earned a monthly salary of €6,000, also worked for Moldova’s State Chancellery. According to reports, she received an additional €4,000 per month for providing government communication services.
Information about Taburceanu’s work for the government was made public by Dragos Galbur, leader of the Moldovan National Party. The Government’s communications office confirmed that she had provided services to the executive branch.
“Regarding the information on remuneration, we cannot provide details because the contract was negotiated and concluded between the donors and the contracted individual. The Government is not a party to this contract and therefore does not have access to its financial provisions,” the Government’s press service told Realitatea.
The Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova confirmed to NewsMaker that Taburceanu worked under a Reform Support Team contract from October 2024 to June 2026. During that period, she provided communication support to the State Chancellery and the prime minister’s office before resigning in June 2026.
“The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is assessing the implementation of this contract. The European Commission is awaiting the outcome of this assessment to determine whether any further measures are necessary. Projects financed from the EU budget must comply with the highest standards, as provided for in the EU Financial Regulation,” the EU Delegation said.
The delegation also stated that it had taken note of the information published in the media and the responses provided by those concerned, adding that it expects Moldova’s public administration and institutions to operate in line with the principles of transparency, accountability and good governance.
According to an investigation by RISE Moldova, Taburceanu—who is also President Maia Sandu’s cousin—received more than one million Moldovan lei from MoldATSA in less than a year, including around 120,000 lei per month in 2026.
Taburceanu told BANI.MD that MoldATSA had approached her because the company was looking for a communications specialist. She said she initially tried to recommend someone else but was unable to find a suitable candidate who was seeking employment at the time, and eventually accepted the position after several discussions.