# Ministry of Defense (Moldova)

The Ministry of Defence (Romanian: Ministerul Apărării) is one of the fourteen ministries of the Government of Moldova. It is the main executive body responsible for the managing of the Armed Forces of Moldova.

## History
### Pre-history

During the era of the Moldavian Democratic Republic, defence policy was handled by the Director General for Armed Forces, who was a member of the Council of Directors General. The following served in this position over the course of the republic's existence:
* Major Teodor Cojocaru (7 – 11 December 1917)
* Gherman Pântea (11 December 1917 – ?)
* Constantin Brăescu (?)
In addition, in the Bessarabian Soviet Socialist Republic, the position of People's Commissar of War in the Sovnarkom was occupied by Boris Gumpert.

### Modern ministry

It was founded on 5 February 1992. The official flag of the Ministry of Defense was established by Presidential Decree on 17 June 2014.

## Functions

The Ministry of Defense is currently responsible for carrying out the following duties:
* Organization and control of the Moldovan National Army
* Representing the armed forces in the cabinet
* Reporting to the Government of Moldova on military affairs
* Executing the military policy of the government and the President of Moldova
* Management of all military related activities and military operations
* Oversight of military construction
* Development of communication and transport systems
* Provision of military storage
* Management of military offices and institutions
* Administration of military academies
* Welfare of retired military personnel
* Equipping the armed forces with necessary technology
* Corresponding with foreign defence ministries

## Organizational structure
### Leadership

* Minister of Defence – Anatolie Nosatîi
* Chief of the General Staff – Colonel Vitalie Micov
* Secretary General – Igor Cutie
* Secretaries of State – Sergiu Plop and Ghenadie Cojocaru
The cabinet of the Minister of Defense assists the defense minister in organizing/managing the main subordinate institutions of the ministry. The cabinet is also responsible for organizing meetings and coordinating protocol.

### Departments and subordinates

The ministry has the following structure
* Center of Military History and Culture
* Central Sports Club of the Army
* Military Mass-Media Center
* Consultative Diagnostic Center
* Preventive Medical Center
* Military Band Service
** Presidential Band of the Republic of Moldova – Chișinău
** Band of the 1st Infantry Motorized Brigade – Bălți
** Band of the 2nd Infantry Motorized Brigade – Chișinău
** Band of the 3rd Infantry Motorized Brigade – Cahul
* Alexandru cel Bun Military Academy of the Armed Forces
* Agency for Ensuring Resources and Administration of Patrimony
* Agency for Military Science and Memory
* Military Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense
* Central Commission of Military Medical Expertise (CCMME)
* Central Military Hospital (CMH)
Military bands of Moldova fall under the command of the music service of the Moldovan National Army, which is currently under the supervision of the defense ministry. These bands follow the Russian and Romanian military tradition for military bands. The military bands of the army have performed and participated in international music festivals since 1997. The military bands of the National Army's Chisinau Garrison include: the Presidential Band, with the army's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Motorized Infantry Brigade also maintaining their own military bands.

### General Staff

* General Staff (J1)
** Personnel Directorate (J2)
** Operations Directorate (J3)
** Directorate of Logistics (J4)
** Strategic Planning Directorate (J5)
** Communication and Information Systems Directorate (J6)
** Doctrine and Joint Training Directorate (J7)
** Management, Coordination and Monitoring Directorate
** Law Department
** Health Department
** Secţia poliţie militară
* Economic and Financial Department
* Secretariat and Internal Management Department
* Legal Department
* Human Resources Management Department
* Defense Policy and Defense Planning Division
* General Inspection Directorate
* Public Relations Service

## List of ministers

| No. | Portrait | Name (Born-Died) | Term | Term | Term | Political party | Government |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Born-Died) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Political party | Government |
| 1 | | Major General Ion Costaș (born 1944) | 5 February 1992 | 29 July 1992 | 175 days | Independent | Muravschi Sangheli I |
| 2 | | Divisional General Pavel Creangă (1933–2004) | 29 July 1992 | 24 January 1997 | 4 years, 179 days | Independent | Sangheli I–II |
| 3 | | Valeriu Pasat (born 1958) | 24 January 1997 | 11 May 1999 | 2 years, 107 days | Independent | Ciubuc I–II Sturza |
| 4 | | Army Corps General Boris Gămurari (born 1958) | 11 May 1999 | 19 April 2001 | 1 year, 343 days | Independent | Sturza Braghiș |
| 5 | | Divisional General Victor Gaiciuc (born 1957) | 19 April 2001 | 15 October 2004 | 3 years, 179 days | PCRM | Tarlev I |
| 6 | | Valeriu Pleșca (born 1958) | 29 December 2004 | 11 June 2007 | 2 years, 164 days | MFN | Tarlev I–II |
| 7 | | Vitalie Vrabie (born 1964) | 16 July 2007 | 25 September 2009 | 2 years, 71 days | PCRM | Tarlev II Greceanîi I–II |
| 8 | | Brigadier General Vitalie Marinuța (born 1970) | 25 September 2009 | 27 February 2014 | 4 years, 155 days | PL | Filat I–II Leancă |
| 8 | | Major General Valeriu Troenco (born 1957) | 5 April 2014 | 18 February 2015 | 319 days | PPR | Leancă |
| 9 | | Colonel Viorel Cibotaru (born 1958) | 18 February 2015 | 30 July 2015 | 162 days | PLDM | Gaburici |
| 10 | | Anatol Șalaru (born 1962) | 30 July 2015 | 27 December 2016 | 1 year, 150 days | PL | Streleț Filip |
| 11 | | Eugen Sturza (born 1984) | 24 October 2017 | 8 June 2019 | 1 year, 227 days | PPEM | Filip |
| 12 | | Pavel Voicu (born 1973) | 8 June 2019 | 14 November 2019 | 159 days | PSRM | Sandu |
| (5) | | Divisional General Victor Gaiciuc (born 1957) | 14 November 2019 | 16 March 2020 | 123 days | PSRM | Chicu |
| 13 | | Chief Commissioner Alexandru Pînzari (born 1973) | 16 March 2020 | 9 November 2020 | 238 days | PDM | Chicu |
| (5) | | Divisional General Victor Gaiciuc (born 1957) | 9 November 2020 | 6 August 2021 | 329 days | PSRM | Chicu |
| 14 | | Colonel Anatolie Nosatîi (born 1972) | 6 August 2021 | | 3 years, 217 days | Independent | Gavrilița Recean |