Romania defence minister Ionut Mosteanu resigns over false university claim, citing focus on national security amid Russian threats
Romania’s Defence Minister, Ionut Mosteanu, resigned on Friday following revelations that he falsely claimed to have graduated from a university he never attended.
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Mosteanu said the controversy should not distract the NATO member state during a time of heightened security concerns.
“Today, I resigned from my position as Minister of National Defence,” Mosteanu said in a Facebook post.
“Romania and Europe are under attack from Russia. Our national security must be defended at all costs.”
Mosteanu admitted the error stemmed from a CV he prepared in 2016 using an online template, describing it as “a mistake that embarrasses me.”
He apologised publicly on Thursday after a media investigation revealed the discrepancy.
The resignation comes amid ongoing security challenges, including repeated drone incursions from Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
A drone crashed in eastern Romania this week near the Ukrainian border, heightening fears of hybrid attacks.
Romania also accused Moscow of interfering in last year’s presidential elections, which were subsequently annulled.
Mosteanu was appointed defence minister in June as part of a new pro-European government following months of political instability.
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Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced that Radu Miruta, the Economy and Tourism Minister, will take over the defence portfolio on an interim basis.
