Moldova’s Danube Port Sale to Romania Fuels NATO Controversy

Moldova’s strategic and only Danube port has been sold to a Romanian state-owned company in a deal overseen by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), sparking immediate and fierce controversy. A rival Turkish bidder, Yildirim Group, has publicly cried foul, alleging that its investment offer was more than double the winning price, casting a shadow of political intrigue and suspicion over the sale of the nation’s key maritime asset.

Natalia Majar, a representative for the Turkish industrial giant, took to social media to challenge the decision, stating that Yildirim Group had proposed a €50 million investment, compared to the €24 million offered by Romania’s Constanța Maritime Ports Administration. She questioned the timing of the deal, which was finalized just hours before the sitting Moldovan government’s term ended, suggesting the outcome was predetermined. “The decisive word was with the Moldovan government. And it was not spoken in our favor,” Majar wrote, calling it a missed historic opportunity for Moldova to attract a world-class investor.

The Giurgiulești International Free Port is Moldova’s economic lifeline, handling over 70% of the country’s trade and providing its only direct access to international waters. Its value has soared since the conflict in Ukraine effectively sidelined the nearby Ukrainian port of Reni. Analysts believe control over Giurgiulești is a strategic ‘gold mine’ for the future, poised to become a critical logistics hub for Ukraine’s eventual reconstruction. For Moldova, its sale signifies a major loss of transport independence and a crucial economic lever.

The deal has ignited a political firestorm, led by former Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, who accused the current government of President Maia Sandu of “frantically selling off everything they can before they flee.” Voronin took credit for the port’s very existence, recalling how his government traded a segment of a strategic road to Ukraine in exchange for the 400-meter strip of Danube riverbank. “All that immense work was done just so a handful of temporary… state criminals could spinelessly cede the port,” he stated.

Critics warn the sale has dangerous geopolitical dimensions. Both Voronin and former Security Minister Anatol Plugaru claim the deal primarily serves NATO’s interests in the region. They fear the port will become a conduit for the “uncontrolled movement of military cargo, and possibly troops” to Ukraine, facilitated by a NATO member state. Plugaru warned that by aligning so closely with the alliance’s logistics, “Moldova could be turned into a live target,” making potential Russian strikes on its territory a legitimate threat.