The Moinești Local Council voted on Thursday to end the mandate of Professor Adrian Cotîrleț, director of the Moinești Clinical Emergency Municipal Hospital, bringing to a close more than two decades of leadership during which the institution became one of Romania’s most highly regarded public hospitals.
The decision was approved by 11 members of the Local Council during an extraordinary meeting.
The session took place amid heightened tensions, with around 300 hospital employees gathering outside the council chamber and attending the meeting to express support for Cotîrleț. Staff members argued that his dismissal could undermine the hospital’s stability and future development.
Moinești Mayor Valentin Vieru said the decision was not a reflection of Cotîrleț’s professional achievements but was instead required by legal provisions governing the tenure and eligibility of public hospital managers. According to the mayor, the current management contract had already been extended, and local authorities were obliged to comply with legislation concerning age limits and the conditions for remaining in office.
Cotîrleț, widely regarded as one of Romania’s most successful hospital managers, has led the institution since 2001. During his tenure, the hospital evolved from a small municipal facility with limited resources into a regional medical center attracting patients from across Romania and frequently cited as a model of best practice in hospital management.
In recent years, the institution became the Moinești Clinical Emergency Municipal Hospital, earning clinical hospital status despite not being affiliated with one of Romania’s traditional university medical centers. It has secured significant investments in infrastructure and medical equipment, implemented numerous European-funded projects, and developed several centers of medical excellence.
The hospital also hosts the Moinești Medical Days, an annual scientific conference considered among Romania’s leading medical events.
Earlier this year, the Romanian Academy of Scientists awarded Cotîrleț its Diploma of Excellence and Gold Medal on the occasion of his 70th birthday, recognizing his contributions to Romanian medicine and hospital management.
The Local Council’s decision marks one of the most significant leadership changes in Bacău County’s healthcare system in recent years, affecting an institution that has earned national recognition for its medical performance and managerial achievements under Cotîrleț’s leadership.
