Romania’s Defence Minister Ionut Mosteanu resigned on Friday, November 28, 2025, after admitting he had lied about his educational background in his resume. The scandal erupted following a media investigation that revealed serious inconsistencies in his official documents.
The controversy began when the newspaper Libertatea reported that Mosteanu had falsely claimed in his first official CV to have graduated from Athenaeum University, an institution that said he was never a student. After the university confirmed he had never attended, Mosteanu admitted it was a mistake and presented a different diploma obtained in 2015 from Bioterra University.
Mosteanu’s resignation came after the newspaper reported this week that his resume contained incorrect information about when he graduated and from which university. The false claims caused significant embarrassment for his party, the Save Romania Union, which has long emphasized transparency and honesty in public service.
In his resignation statement on Facebook, Mosteanu wrote: “Romania and Europe are under Russian assault. Our national security must be protected at all cost. I do not want discussions about my education and mistakes I made years ago to distract those who lead the country now from their hard mission”.
Romania is a European Union and NATO member that shares a 650-kilometer land border with Ukraine and has faced Russian drones repeatedly breaching its airspace since Moscow invaded Ukraine. The country has been dealing with significant security challenges, making the defence minister’s position particularly sensitive.
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan accepted Mosteanu’s resignation and announced that Economy Minister Radu Miruta would serve as interim defence minister. Bolojan thanked Mosteanu for his five months in office, and the Save Romania Union party will nominate a new defence minister.
This incident highlights the importance of accountability and honesty in public office, especially for officials holding critical national security positions.
