VIDEO // Moldovan parliament speaker says country must strengthen defense capabilities, continue investments

The case of the unauthorized flight over the national airspace by the drone seen in Balti is yet another proof that we must strengthen our defense capabilities and continue investments, so we are ready to intervene. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu today made statements to this effect, before the parliament meeting.

The official emphasized that, in such cases, unmanned aerial vehicles should be shot down.

“I would like this to happen, just like other citizens do. I think that for technical details – whether it would be possible or not – we need to ask the armed forces’ military personnel, because they have more information. The case of the unauthorized flight over the national airspace by the drone seen in Balti is yet another proof that we must strengthen our defense capabilities and continue investments, so we are ready to intervene. This will become possible also through the latest support package from the European Peace Facility, announced last week,” Igor Grosu said.

The speaker noted that, following this incident, the designated Ambassador of the Russian Federation is to be summoned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

“He must be summoned every time. At the appropriate time, other measures will also be announced. His expulsion would be symbolic, a gesture with an emotional charge, but it would not represent a solution. Practically, things will not change, because he is the representative of an aggressor state and the problems and incidents we are talking about will only be resolved when the war is stopped. Then we will all be more at ease. Until that moment, we can see the dissonance between what the dictator says and what is happening in reality,” Igor Grosu added.

A drone on May 13 was detected on the territory of Moldova, after crossing the state border from the direction of Mohyliv-Podilskyi (Vinnytsia, Ukraine) towards the village of Sauca, northern Ocnita district. The aircraft was seen by citizens above the city of Balti, moving in the direction of Ungheni district. Later, the drone was detected in the Hancesti district, heading towards the southern area of the country. It disappeared from radar near the locality of Mingir, central Hancesti district. The drone was later detected in southern Cahul district and disappeared from radar in the Giurgiulesti area.

In the context of the unauthorized overflight, the airspace in the northern and central areas was temporarily closed. It was reopened after the aircraft left the country’s airspace. The unauthorized flight occurred as a result of the massive attack launched by the Russian Federation on western Ukraine.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the airspace of Moldova has been illegally flown over more than 40 times. The Moldovan authorities have submitted protest notes to the designated Ambassador of the Russian Federation, underlining that although the drones do not directly target Moldova, their trajectories – associated with attacks on Ukraine – pose an increased risk to national security.