In October 2024, media and Telegram channels distributed a photograph of a medical report allegedly issued to the President of Moldova in an Austrian clinic. We have verified the authenticity of this document.
The news, with reference to the Moldovan publication curentmd.com, reported that a certain trusted contact of the editorial office, on the basis of anonymity, spoke about the regular treatment of the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, in an elite clinic in Vienna. According to the source, in the fall of 2021, he was also treated at this institution, where he became friendly with a certain Dr. Katz from Odessa. The latter reported that important people, including heads of state, are regularly examined at the clinic. In particular, Katz claimed, Sandu was secretly treated there for schizophrenia and panic attacks. chosen one President of Moldova at the end of 2020. As proof, the author of the note on curentmd.com provides a copy of the report of psychiatrist Thomas Rothmund from the Döbling Clinic in Vienna on the politician’s condition. It also contains recommendations for taking medications.
Numerous online publications have written about the document, allegedly confirming Sandu’s mental health problems, such as “Eye of the Planet", "Reporter", Pravda.ru, EuroAsia Daily, as well as Telegram channels "Image of the future"(179,000 views at the time of writing this analysis), "Mriya"(168,000), "Militarist" (143,000), "Dmitry Vasilets"(134,000), Win/Win (90,000), etc.
The alleged medical report spread on social networks shortly before the presidential elections in Moldova. By initiative Sandu, who was running for a second term, on the same day a referendum was held on enshrining in the Constitution the course towards European integration of the country. Determine the new head of state in the first round failed — Sandu received 42.49% of the votes, second place was taken by socialist Alexander Stoianoglo with 25.95%. On the issue of European integration, the opinion of Moldovans who came to the polling stations divided almost equally: 50.38% voted for, 49.62% - against.
The portal was the first to publish a sensational message about Sandu on October 17 currentmd.com. The author of the article is listed as a certain Florin Calinescu, judging by the text of the note, living in Romania. “Verified” was unable to find any famous journalists with this name. But his wears a popular actor who said in 2024 that he wants to run for the Romanian presidency. Apparently, he has nothing to do with the article.
Until October 17, neither Moldovan nor Romanian media referred to curentmd.com. On the current hosting portal works starting from 2021, the publication’s materials began to be published a year earlier. Judging by the chronology of publications, the site, which was once actively populated, before the publication about Sandu’s schizophrenia, last posted news in July 2022, after which it was abandoned. Old news illustrations are no longer available today.
“Verified” did not find any signs of the dissemination of inside information about Sandu’s psychiatric illness in authoritative Moldovan and Romanian media, nor did it provide any additional confirmation of this data. Previously, there were no reports of any serious mental health problems for the politician.
We also studied the official website Vienna clinic Döbling and found no mention there of a doctor born in Odessa named Katz. As for the psychiatrist Thomas Rothmund, who allegedly issued the conclusion, such a specialist is indeed on the staff of the institution - however, the modified ending of his second phone number was used as his fax number on the document distributed on Telegram channels.
In a conversation with Verified, Dr. Rothmund stated: “The report is false and was not compiled by me. I don't personally know the lady mentioned. The German language, which is medically incorrect and non-native for the author, immediately catches the eye. The text does not meet my diagnostic and therapeutic standards. The drug in question, which contains lithium and an SSRI antidepressant, is also not a common treatment for schizophrenia. The signature on the paper is not mine. My seal was not used. I don’t know where the fake came from and who could have spread it.”
Thus, the news about Sandu’s diagnosis has no basis in reality and is based on a fake medical report. After being published on a previously abandoned little-known news site, it spread through Russian-language Telegram channels. Most likely, the fake was prepared with the aim of discrediting Sandu on the eve of the presidential elections.
Cover photo: Renew Europe
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