Maia Sandu Addresses Eurovision Voting Controversy Between Moldova and Romania

Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated that the Eurovision 2026 voting controversy should not damage relations between Moldova and Romania, emphasizing that the public's appreciation for Romanian artists remains the most significant factor.

Key points

• The Moldovan jury awarded only three points to Romania's representative, Alexandra Căpitănescu, while the public gave her the maximum score.
• Vlad Țurcanu, the director general of the public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova, resigned following public backlash over the jury's scoring.
• Alexandra Căpitănescu publicly defended the Moldovan people, stating they should not be held responsible for the jury's decision.
• Maia Sandu made these remarks in Strasbourg, where she was awarded the European Order of Merit by the European Parliament.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the sensitivity of cultural and diplomatic ties between Moldova and Romania, prompting high-level political intervention to prevent public frustration from affecting bilateral relations.