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Moldova's defense minister refuses to answer in Russian
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Conflict & Security

Moldova's defense minister refuses to answer in Russian

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Moldova's Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii refused to answer a journalist's question in Russian, insisting she speak Romanian.
  • The minister's biography indicates he speaks Russian, but he stated he did not understand the question in that language.
  • The incident occurred amid heightened tensions, with Moldova having recently recalled its ambassador to Russia after a drone explosion near its border.

Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii refused to answer a journalist's question posed in Russian during a press conference, insisting she use the state language, Romanian. When a "NewsMaker" journalist began a question in Russian, Nosatii interrupted and replied in Romanian, "I don't understand you."

After the journalist repeated her question in Romanian, Nosatii stated he would answer "with great pleasure." He then complimented the journalist, saying, "Thank you very much for speaking the state language – Romanian. You know it very well." The "NewsMaker" noted that Nosatii's official biography lists Russian among the languages he speaks, alongside Romanian and English. His biography also details his military education in Ukraine during the 1990s.

I don't understand you.

— Anatolie NosatiiDefense Minister Anatolie Nosatii's response when a journalist began a question in Russian.

Nosatii has served as Moldova's Defense Minister since 2021. The incident occurs against a backdrop of increased regional tension. Moldova recently recalled its ambassador to Russia for consultations following the explosion of a suspected Russian drone near the village of Krokmaz on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. The Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the incident as a violation of sovereignty and a threat to citizen safety.

Thank you very much for speaking the state language – Romanian. You know it very well.

— Anatolie NosatiiDefense Minister Anatolie Nosatii's comment to the journalist after she switched to Romanian.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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