Maya Sandu's speech was disrupted in the European Parliament
An incident occurred during Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s speech at the European Parliament: a man in the media gallery began shouting accusations and tried to disrupt the ceremony, after which he was escorted out by security. It later emerged that he was a former Romanian MP convicted of corruption. This was reported by a Hromadske Radio correspondent in Strasbourg.
A high-profile incident occurred at the European Parliament in Strasbourg during the formal ceremony to award the European Order of Merit, briefly interrupting Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s speech when a man suddenly began shouting from the media gallery and attempted to disrupt the event.
According to a Hromadske Radio correspondent who was present in the hall, the man shouted accusations at Sandu, calling the situation a “dictatorship” and making claims about her alleged involvement in illegal activities, which prompted an immediate response from security. After a brief pause, he was escorted out of the hall, and the Members of the European Parliament present at the ceremony showed their support for the President of Moldova by standing up and applauding her.
It later emerged that the troublemaker was former Romanian MP and Social Democrat Cristian Riza, who had previously been convicted in his home country of corruption offenses, including influence peddling and money laundering.
In 2019, a Romanian court sentenced him to 4 years and 8 months in prison, after which he left the country, was later extradited, and was released on parole in 2025, which allowed him to remain at large. It is currently unknown exactly how Riza obtained a pass to the European Parliament; however, he was fined following the incident, and the further circumstances of his presence in the building remain under investigation.
Despite the incident, the ceremony continued, and Maia Sandu was awarded the European Order of Merit—an award given for contributions to the defense of democracy, human rights, and European values—and the president herself emphasized in her speech that this honor belongs to the entire people of Moldova.
“For three decades, Moldovans have been building their European future—overcoming a difficult economic transition, taking to the streets when democracy was under threat, standing up to oligarchs who tried to seize power, — and time and again voting for Europe, despite Russian threats and blackmail,” Sandu said.
The order, presented during the ceremony, was established to mark the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration and is intended to honor people who defend peace, democracy, and human dignity; among this year’s laureates are also Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian human rights activist Oleksandra Matviychuk.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent human rights activist Oleksandra Matviychuk became among the first recipients of the newly established European Order of Merit.
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