Viorel Cibotaru (born 19 April 1958) is a Moldovan politician, former political analyst and journalist, who served as the Minister of Defense of Moldova between 18 February 2015 and 30 July 2015.

In 1987 he held an internship at the Faculty of Journalism at "Mikhail Lomonosov" University in Moscow and in the same year he obtained his PhD in Philological Sciences.

Since 2009, he is a Superior Associate member, Program Coordinator in Nepal of the Center from Geneva for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces.

[2] On 18 February 2015, he was appointed Minister of Defense[4][5][6] of the Republic of Moldova, which he exercised until 30 July 2015, when in the new cabinet he was replaced by Liberal Anatol Șalaru.

Candidates Valeriu Streleț, Liliana Palihovici, Tudor Deliu and Vadim Pistrinciuc, withdrew their candidacies in favor of Viorel Cibotaru.