Defence Minister about case of minor who died at military unit in Cahul

All the circumstances of the case of the minor who died at the military unit in Cahul will be clarified with maximum responsibility and transparency, and those found guilty will be sanctioned in strict accordance with national legislation and military regulations. Defence Minister Anatolie Nosatîi made the statements before the cabinet meeting.

The official expressed condolences to the family of the deceased young man and stressed that this tragic case has affected society as a whole.

“It is a regrettable case that has deeply affected me, as it involves tragic and irreversible consequences. Strict observance of safety rules, especially in handling weapons, is a fundamental obligation for every soldier, regardless of the position held, the mission carried out, or the experience gained during service. Personally, I want to find out the truth just as much as each of you, so that such tragedies do not happen again. For this reason, I will not focus on assumptions and I will not make speculative statements that could fuel information manipulation or prejudice the ongoing investigation. As Minister of Defence, I will insist that all the circumstances of this case be clarified with maximum responsibility and transparency. Those found guilty will be sanctioned in strict accordance with national legislation and military regulations,” Anatolie Nosatîi said.

He referred to statements made by some parties and political actors who have demanded the minister’s resignation.

“I want to send a very clear message: I will not resign until the investigation is completed and all the circumstances of this case are clarified. It would be irresponsible to leave now, when the investigation is ongoing and my involvement as Minister of Defence is necessary. I would like to mention that the military field operates on a clear principle of delegation of responsibilities. Every person has the obligation to carry out their duties with maximum seriousness and professionalism, in accordance with their competences and responsibilities. It is not the minister who is responsible for the direct management of all aspects of the military field. Responsibility lies with each individual soldier, depending on the position held,” said Nosatîi.

The minister emphasized that the incident was caused by non-compliance with safety rules in handling the weapon. Thus, all actions and possible misconduct by the persons involved will be examined with utmost rigor.

“I will ensure full openness for the competent institutions in conducting the investigation. I regret that there are numerous speculations around this tragic case, without taking into account the pain experienced by the affected families. In this difficult time, it is important to treat this subject with discretion, responsibility, and respect for the memory of the deceased young man. This case must certainly be fully clarified. I consider it essential that the investigation establish exactly what happened, where there were possible deficiencies, and who bears responsibility, based on official conclusions. In such situations, hasty reactions do not help either to find the truth or to solve the problems that must be addressed. Nothing can diminish the pain of the relatives of the deceased young man, but we can learn from this tragedy and do everything possible to prevent such cases. Therefore, I appeal to society and opinion leaders not to speculate about the incident until the investigation is completed,” Anatolie Nosatîi stressed.

At the end of last week, a 16-year-old minor died in a military unit in Cahul. The police were notified after the improper handling of a firearm led to the injury of a soldier and the death of a minor. According to the police, a 20-year-old contract soldier allegedly mishandled a Glock-type weapon while he was together with a 16-year-old minor visiting another 18-year-old conscript.

Following an accidental shot, the 18-year-old conscript was injured and rushed to the hospital. Doctors stated that he is out of any danger. As for the 16-year-old minor, it was initially announced that he went into shock immediately after the incident and lost consciousness. The General Police Inspectorate later reported that law enforcement officers were informed by the forensic doctor, who examined the minor’s lifeless body, that he had been pierced by the same bullet that wounded the conscript.