Hâncești tragedy: Authorities call for clarification of circumstances and possible responsibilities

The death of the kindergarten teacher from Hâncești, who passed away at the beginning of March, has generated reactions from authorities and organizations fighting violence against women, with the case being examined by the relevant institutions.

Deputy Speaker Doina Gherman stated that the tragedy "grieves the entire society" and called for the resignation from political positions of Dumitru Vartic, vice president of the Hâncești District Council and husband of the deceased woman.

"The tragedy of the woman and mother from Hâncești grieves us all. It is shocking that details and accusations surface too late to help or save a life," Doina Gherman wrote in a public post.

According to her, "it is also shocking that such tragedies still happen in Moldova – when the community fails to provide vital help in time." The Deputy Speaker mentioned that she requested the resignation of Dumitru Vartic "both from the Action and Solidarity Party and from the District Council," stressing that all the circumstances of the case must be investigated.

The president of the Hâncești district, Nicoletta Moroșanu, also requested the resignation of vice president Dumitru Vartic.

At the same time, the National Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence Against Women and in the Family announced that it has taken up the case ex officio and has sent official requests to several institutions, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Hâncești City Hall and the Botanica District Administration in Chișinău, in order to clarify how the authorities intervened.

"The National Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence in the Republic of Moldova has taken up the tragic case from Hâncești ex officio. We have requested information from the competent authorities and from the institutions involved in order to understand all the circumstances of this case," said the agency’s director, Viorica Țîmbalari.

She added that "preliminary information has appeared in the public space that the woman may have been a victim of violence," and that these aspects must be analyzed responsibly. According to the police, the victim, a teacher at "Andrieș" Kindergarten in Hâncești, died on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, after jumping from the upper floor of a residential building in Chișinău. The information became public later, and several civic organizations claimed that the woman had been the victim of abuse.

The National Coalition "Life Without Violence" stated that "Ludmila’s death was not an accident," claiming that it was the result of "continuous abuse, humiliation and control."

On Sunday, March 8, in the Hâncești City Park, at the Summer Theatre, a moment of silence was held in the woman’s memory, attended by members of the local community.

The authorities have announced that they will analyze all the circumstances of the case in order to determine any possible responsibilities.