More than five years after a double murder that shocked Romania, the Bacău Court of Appeal has ordered chemical company Chimcomplex SA to pay moral damages to the families of two workers killed during the 2021 hostage crisis in Onești.
According to the court’s ruling issued on June 18, 2026, judges upheld an appeal in the case, overturned a previous judgment in its entirety, and ordered the company to pay compensation totaling approximately €184,000, converted into Romanian lei at the exchange rate applicable on the date of payment.
The decision is not final and may be challenged before a higher court within 30 days of notification.
Attorney Adrian Cuculis, who represents the victims’ families, welcomed the ruling, describing it as an important step in the long-running effort to secure compensation for the relatives of the two men who lost their lives during the incident.
According to Cuculis, the civil proceedings continued following intervention by the High Court of Cassation and Justice, ultimately leading the Bacău Court of Appeal to establish the company’s liability regarding the payment of moral damages.
The court’s full reasoning has not yet been published, leaving the legal grounds underpinning the decision unknown until the written judgment is released.
The Onești tragedy occurred in March 2021, when Gheorghe Moroșan took two workers hostage inside an apartment in the eastern Romanian city. After several hours of negotiations involving law enforcement authorities, both hostages were killed.
In the criminal case, Moroșan was ultimately sentenced to 30 years in prison, while his wife received a 12-year prison sentence for her role in the events.
The latest ruling opens a new chapter in the civil compensation proceedings. The parties must now decide whether to pursue a further appeal, while the publication of the court’s reasoning is expected to clarify the legal basis for holding the company financially liable in the case.
