Teleradio-Moldova chief Vlad Țurcan resigns after Eurovision jury voting lapse

Vlad Țurcan resigned as director general of Teleradio-Moldova after a backlash over Moldova’s jury vote in the Eurovision 2026 final. The dispute centered on the Moldovan jury awarding Romania only three points and Ukraine none, even as Moldova’s public vote gave Romania the maximum 12 points. Țurcan said the broadcaster had distanced itself from the jury’s decision but that responsibility rested with him as head of the institution. (moldpres.md) His resignation was announced after several days of criticism online and in public debate in both Moldova and Romania. ### Why did one Eurovision jury score become a national controversy? The May 16 Eurovision final in Vienna produced a sharp split between Moldova’s jury and public vote. Teleradio-Moldova said the jury awarded Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu three points, while the Moldovan public awarded her 12. (moldpres.md) The same jury gave no points to Ukraine. Romania’s result gave the dispute a clear focal point. Căpitănescu finished third overall with “Choke Me,” while Moldova’s entrant Satoshi finished eighth with “Viva, Moldova!”, according to Moldpres. Bulgaria’s Dara won the contest and Israel’s Noam Bettan placed second. (moldpres.md) ### What exactly did Vlad Țurcan say when he stepped down? At a May 19 news conference, Țurcan said he would submit a resignation request to the broadcaster’s Supervisory Council, as required by law. He said that even though TRM had “distanced” itself from the jury’s artistic scoring decisions, “the vote that was cast is our responsibility and primarily mine, as head of the institution.” (moldpres.md) Țurcan also said the jury had failed to account for what he called sensitivities in Moldova’s relations with neighboring Romania and Ukraine. RTÉ, citing AFP, reported that he said: “Our stance toward Ukraine is not one of zero points, and our feelings toward Romania can only be ones of love.” (moldpres.md) ### How did Teleradio-Moldova try to explain the vote before the resignation? On May 17, Teleradio-Moldova issued a statement after criticism over the points given to Romania and Ukraine. Moldpres reported that the broadcaster said the jury’s decisions were “completely independent” and did not reflect the company’s official or editorial position. (moldpres.md) That explanation did not end the criticism. Moldpres said reactions targeted both the way the national jury was appointed and the way it voted, while RTÉ reported that the dispute spread across social media in Moldova and Romania. (rte.ie) ### Who else responded publicly? Cristian Jardan, Moldova’s culture minister, called for “explanations” over the jury vote, according to RTÉ. Jury member Viktoria Cușnir said she regretted accepting the invitation to serve and described the reaction as “a public lynching experience,” while also saying the result was not “an expression of anti-Romanian sentiment.” Alexandra Căpitănescu said she had no hard feelings toward Moldova’s jury. (moldpres.md) RTÉ reported that she thanked Moldovans who voted for her and wrote on Instagram that “it’s not right for an entire nation to be held accountable for the decision of just seven people.” Moldova’s contestant Satoshi also appealed for calm, saying the two countries would remain friends. ### What happens next inside the broadcaster? The next formal step is Țurcan’s resignation request to the Supervisory Council of Teleradio-Moldova. Moldpres and AGERPRES both said he told reporters the application would be submitted under the legal procedure governing the public broadcaster. Neither report, in the material reviewed, gave a date for a council decision. (moldpres.md) (rte.ie)