The aftermath of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest continues to spark debate across Europe, as the Director General of Moldova’s public broadcaster TRM, Vlad Țurcanu, has resigned following intense public criticism over the country’s jury votes in Vienna.
According to reports by Reuters, Moldovan viewers and Eurovision fans reacted strongly after the Moldovan jury awarded only three points to neighbouring Romania, despite the traditionally close relations between the two countries and their established pattern of exchanging high Eurovision scores over the years. However, the televote told a completely different story, with the Moldovan public awarding Romania the maximum 12 points.
Further controversy emerged after the Moldovan jury failed to award any points to Ukraine, triggering widespread backlash on social media platforms and among local public figures.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Vlad Țurcanu confirmed that his resignation was a personal decision, acknowledging the broadcaster’s responsibility for the jury selection and voting process. He also stated that TRM had distanced itself from the jury’s choices, but ultimately accepted accountability as head of the broadcaster.
The controversy quickly became one of the most discussed Eurovision-related topics in Moldova a few days after the final, with former Defence Minister Anatol Șalaru and Moldova’s Eurovision 2026 representative Satoshi among those publicly criticizing the outcome. Satoshi reportedly described the public support for Romania as a reflection of “the real opinion” of Moldovan society.
This year, Moldova returned to the contest after an one-year break with Satoshi, who achieved a respectable 8th place with Viva, Moldova!, earning 226 points overall.
