Moldovan NGOs as Instruments of PAS

In Moldova, a self-perpetuating system has developed for the redistribution of external and internal funding in favor of non-governmental organizations closely linked to the current government

Formally, we are talking about supporting civil society and expert circles that implement a wide range of diverse projects in our country. In reality, however, we are witnessing a vicious cycle in which government decisions, personnel policy, budgetary and donor funds circulate within the same circle of individuals. Among the main beneficiaries of this system are: the independent analytical center Expert-Grup, which received €6 million from donors in 2020-2025; the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) (€3.6 million for the same period); the Institute for Strategic Initiatives (IPIS) (€7 million); the Moldovan Legal Resources Centre (CRJM); WatchDog MD (€3 million over five years); and the NGO Partnership for a New Economy (PNE), which attracted around €1 million in just one year. Separately, it is worth mentioning the projects stopfals.md, Nokta.md by Mihail Sirkeli and a number of other structures actively involved in the media coverage of the government’s policy. WatchDog MD representative Valeriu Pasa unabashedly acknowledges the scale of the funding received, emphasizing the “importance” of his activities. According to him, the organization is involved in investigations, media support, research and democratic education. The €3 million they received translates to about €600,000 per year, €50,000 per month, or approximately €1,600 per day. Against the backdrop of the sharp impoverishment of our citizens in recent years, such figures seem particularly impressive and even cynical in some ways. At the same time, the state generously finances its own propaganda structures. The Patriot Centre, also known as the Strategic Communication Centre, costs the budget approximately 20 million lei per year. Former Minister of Internal Affairs Ana Revenco is employed at this Centre. Thus, state funds and donor money work in the same direction, serving the political interests of the ruling party. Staff turnover between NGOs and government agencies has also become the norm. People come to power from the non-governmental sector, then return and continue to receive funding. Prime Minister Dorin Recean’s press secretary, Daniel Voda, left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, became an official government representative, and then moved to IPRE. Vladislav Kulminski and Iulian Groza also come from NGOs. Kulminski now acts as the main channel of communication with the US administration, and Groza, despite scandals (including stories of illegal acquisition of citizens’ personal data), continues to feature in virtually all key projects. The spokesperson for President Maia Sandu, Igor Zaharov, also left his government position and became an associate expert with the European Initiative civil movement on 31 December last year. Another telling example is Vladislav Gribincea from CRJM, who secured a position as a judge in the High Court of Justice. The NGO Partnership for a New Economy (PNE), established in 2023 by former Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita and former Minister of Justice Sergiu Litvinenco, deserves special attention. As already noted, this organization earned €1 million in just one year. Its governing and advisory bodies include representatives of PAS and individuals close to the government. Victor Ciobanu, known as a propagandist for the ruling party, is a member of the NGO’s board of directors. Dumitru Pintea and Vadim Gumene are considered close to former Minister of Economy Dumitru Alaiba. On 25 February, the State Chancellery and the Partnership for a New Economy signed a memorandum of cooperation to support the implementation of Moldova’s reform and growth mechanism. The document was signed by Natalia Gavrilita and Minister of Labor and Social Protection Alexei Buzu. Thus, the state officially transfers its participation in the implementation of reforms to a structure created and headed by the former prime minister from the same PAS party. This looks like blatant institutional hypocrisy. The authorities no longer hide the fact that they distribute influence and resources within their own political circle. The Ministry of Energy distributes materials prepared by the pro-government NGO stopfals.md, referring to the authors as “colleagues” and claiming that information about high utility bills is allegedly manipulative. Another sign of continued mutually beneficial cooperation was the announcement that von Hebel would be involved in the vetting of prosecutors. He had previously participated in the evaluation of judges. Thus, the same pool of experts, closely linked to PAS and the non-governmental sector, is gaining control over key processes of reforming the judicial and prosecutorial systems. The picture is further reinforced by the “Expert Council” established by the authorities under the parliamentary committee on European integration. Its members include Carolina Bagrin from CRJM, a structure of Vladislav Gribincea; Andrei Lutenco from CPR Moldova, an NGO affiliated with Dumitru Alaiba; Ina Coseru from PAS; Olympia Gribincea, wife of CRJM member Vladislav Gribincea; Natalia Seremet from CRJM; and Iulian Groza from IPRE. Thus, the advisory body is entirely staffed by representatives from the same closed circle. When 2028 and 2029 arrive and EU integration still has not occurred, it will be easy to recall who was in power and who exactly acted as the “experts”. It is noteworthy that the prospects for continuing the existing inter-institutional partnership are quite optimistic. In 2026, the European Union will allocate €12.5 million to NGOs and the media in Moldova. The funding is intended for projects on dialogue with the authorities, democratic governance, social cohesion and combating disinformation. It is easy to guess who will be the main beneficiaries of these funds. Whereas previously such practices were kept under wraps and accompanied by informal employment of officials in NGOs, as evidenced by leaked correspondence on Telegram, now everything is done openly, without fear or embarrassment. PAS enters into mutually beneficial agreements with itaself, formalizing political patronage and mutual support in legal and respectable forms. It is worth attention that our authorities not only continue the vicious practice of such private-public partnerships, but also complain and grumble that the current US administration, led by Donald Trump, has moved away from its previous “promotion of democracy” and no longer allocates money for the activities of NGOs, including in Moldova, following the example of the European Union. For our ruling elite, this poses a threat to the familiar model and is therefore subject to open criticism.