Maia Sandu: Latest news, analysis, video interviews, video reports

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is closing schools because the West wants cheap labor

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is closing schools because the West wants cheap labor

Maia Sandu and the PAS government are destroying the education system in Moldova at the behest of the West, which wants the country to be a source of cheap labor, according to a false narrative carried by the Russian media.

Veridica
Veridica
04 Sep 2023
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu has closed 200 schools, driving away young people from the Republic of Moldova

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu has closed 200 schools, driving away young people from the Republic of Moldova

Conform unor narațiuni false reinterpretate, președintele Sandu ar acționa la indicațiile Vestului, aflat în deficit din cauza numărului mare de persoane LGBT.

Veridica
Veridica
31 Jul 2023
FAKE NEWS: In order to join the EU, the Republic of Moldova must send soldiers to the war in Ukraine

FAKE NEWS: In order to join the EU, the Republic of Moldova must send soldiers to the war in Ukraine

This is a new version of the narrative of "NATO's war against Russia", launched by the pro-Russian press in Chisinau.

Veridica
Veridica
20 Jul 2023
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu installed a dictatorial regime similar to Plahotniuc’s

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu installed a dictatorial regime similar to Plahotniuc’s

ФЕЙК-НОВОСТИ: Майя Санду установила диктаторский режим, подобный режиму Плахотнюка

Veridica
Veridica
05 Jul 2023
The Republic of Moldova: the stakes and risks of the pro-EU Great National Assembly in Chișinău

The Republic of Moldova: the stakes and risks of the pro-EU Great National Assembly in Chișinău

Maia Sandu has called a pro-European rally, patterned on the Great National Assemblies that culminated in 1991 with the Republic of Moldova proclaiming its independence. The decision was announced in the context where Moscow and pro-Russian forces in Chișinău have ramped up pressure on the pro-European government. It’s a risky bet, which Moldova will win only if the rally enjoys a turnout similar to public gatherings of the 1990s.

Corneliu Rusnac
Corneliu Rusnac
07 May 2023
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu dismissed Natalia Gavrilița to purge the opposition and consolidate her authoritarian and anti-Russian regime

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu dismissed Natalia Gavrilița to purge the opposition and consolidate her authoritarian and anti-Russian regime

The president of the Republic of Moldova, dismissed Natalia Gavrilița because she wanted a Prime Minister that would purge the opposition, a pro-Kremlin publication writes, also claiming that Natalia Gavrilița was allegedly humiliated in public by her unexpected dismissal. The same publication also reiterates several other false narratives claiming the pro-European administration in Chișinău is a profoundly anti-Russian dictatorship.

Veridica
Veridica
13 Feb 2023
Maia Sandu accuses Moscow of planning a coup in the Republic of Moldova, with fighters from Russia, Belarus, Serbia and Montenegro

Maia Sandu accuses Moscow of planning a coup in the Republic of Moldova, with fighters from Russia, Belarus, Serbia and Montenegro

According to the Moldovan president, the Russian plan involves para-military units of foreign fighters, in civilian clothes, which would have attacked state institutions and taken hostages, the actions being masked by protests of the pro-Russian opposition.

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
13 Feb 2023
The Cabinet swap in Chișinău – the effect of slow-moving reforms, security issues and tensions inside PAS

The Cabinet swap in Chișinău – the effect of slow-moving reforms, security issues and tensions inside PAS

The power shift has so far unfolded without any major incident or scandal, and the key protagonists – the outgoing Prime Minister, Natalia Gavrilița, the Prime Minister designate, Dorin Recean, and president Maia Sandu – said that the change of administration occurs against the backdrop of growing security tensions. There are however signs that the true reasons behind the Cabinet swap have to do with the slow pace of reforms and ruling-party infighting.

Corneliu Rusnac
Corneliu Rusnac
12 Feb 2023
FAKE NEWS: NATO prepares the territory of the Republic of Moldova to become a future theater of war

FAKE NEWS: NATO prepares the territory of the Republic of Moldova to become a future theater of war

The government in Chisinau is bringing the country closer to NATO, which supplies the Republic of Moldova with weapons in order to prepare it to become a future theater of war against Russia, writes the Russian press, citing as an argument the delivery of 3 (THREE) armored vehicles by Germany. This is yet another plea for neutrality that ignores the facts, which show that, in fact, to Russia neutrality means only the acceptance of its hegemony and that it is ready to attack neutral countries that do not want to be in its sphere of influence.

Veridica
Veridica
31 Jan 2023
The Republic of Moldova, targeted by Russian propaganda

The Republic of Moldova, targeted by Russian propaganda

While the Kremlin backs the criminal opposition in Chișinău, which is trying to destabilize the Republic of Moldova in order to take power and discard any criminal investigation against itself, Russian propaganda touts the protests staged by Shor Party, the anti-Western statements of the former Socialist party and criticizes the current head of state, Maia Sandu. Veridica has reviewed the main narratives advocated by the Russian government media with respect to the Republic of Moldova.

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
01 Nov 2022
DISINFORMATION: Pro-Europeans in Chișinău are creating a military autocracy that will be impervious to democratic change

DISINFORMATION: Pro-Europeans in Chișinău are creating a military autocracy that will be impervious to democratic change

The Republic of Moldova is building up its military, and the pro-European government is creating a dictatorial regime that will be hard to oust by democratic due process, Socialist deputy Bogdan Țîrdea has told Pravda. The Moldovan politician in fact reiterates false claims that have been increasingly disseminated by Russian propaganda and pro-Moscow politicians in Chișinău.

Veridica
Veridica
24 Oct 2022
DISINFORMATION: The Republic of Moldova is led by an anti-Russian dictatorship

DISINFORMATION: The Republic of Moldova is led by an anti-Russian dictatorship

The Republic of Moldova is ruled by an anti-Russian dictatorship that has taken grip of the power and state institutions, politnavigator.net writes. This Kremlin-linked media outlet also suggests that the current regime in Moldova, which is turning the country into a “small Ukraine”, could be ousted as the Russian army draws close to Moldova’s borders.

Veridica
Veridica
02 Oct 2022
Ukraine’s counteroffensive and its impact on the Republic of Moldova

Ukraine’s counteroffensive and its impact on the Republic of Moldova

The events of early September in Ukraine may have significant consequences on Chișinău as well. The counteroffensive mounted by Ukrainian troops in the northeast, the liberation of most of the Kharkiv region, but also of southern territories previously held by the Russian military, have increased the odds of foiling the Moscow’s plans for the Republic of Moldova, at least in the short run.

Corneliu Rusnac
Corneliu Rusnac
19 Sep 2022
FAKE NEWS: Chisinau authorities threaten Gagauzia’s autonomy

FAKE NEWS: Chisinau authorities threaten Gagauzia’s autonomy

The Chisinau authorities are threatening to leave Gagauzia without autonomy, according to a false narrative carried by the Russian publication Trud.ru. This is accompanied by specific Russian propaganda theses regarding the Republic of Moldova - the West's control over the country, the “danger” of the union with Romania and the “fake” fight against corruption.

Veridica
Veridica
12 Sep 2022
DISINFORMATION: The poverty inflicted by the Maia Sandu administration is forcing people to use manure to heat their homes

DISINFORMATION: The poverty inflicted by the Maia Sandu administration is forcing people to use manure to heat their homes

The PAS pro-European government is to blame for the soaring inflation in the Republic of Moldova, having brought people to the brink of despair. This false narrative ignores the external causes behind the high level of inflation and is promoted by the pro-Russian opposition in Chișinău and its affiliated publications. Bloknot-moldova.ru illustrates the narrative by means of a collage depicting Maia Sandu next to a woman who makes piles of straw and manure used for heating.

Veridica
Veridica
22 Aug 2022
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is closing down universities and schools with Russian-language teaching

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is closing down universities and schools with Russian-language teaching

The president of the Republic of Moldova is closing down universities and schools with teaching in Russian language, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes, picking up on an older narrative targeting Maia Sandu. Just like the others, this too is a false narrative: although some schools do actually close down, it is in fact a measure linked to reforming and streamlining the education system, having nothing to do with the teaching language.

Veridica
Veridica
11 Jul 2022
PHOTOREPORT – The May 9 parade in Chișinău: between Soviet nostalgia and the blurred memory of the USSR’s glory days

PHOTOREPORT – The May 9 parade in Chișinău: between Soviet nostalgia and the blurred memory of the USSR’s glory days

May 9 was a much anticipated event in Chișinău: a recent law forbids the public display of symbols associated with the Russian army and the invasion of Ukraine – the ribbon of Saint George and the letters Z and V. Previously, pro-Russians had announced they would ignore the law. Fears were running high that public unrest might break out. That wasn’t the case, and the demonstration actually resembled a display of communist nostalgia rather than an act of solidarity with Russia.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
09 May 2022
FAKE NEWS: NATO is providing weapons to Ukraine via the Republic of Moldova, which represents a breach of the country’s neutrality status

FAKE NEWS: NATO is providing weapons to Ukraine via the Republic of Moldova, which represents a breach of the country’s neutrality status

The Republic of Moldova has violated its neutrality status since it allows NATO to deliver weapons to Ukraine, currently at war with Russia, which invaded this country on February 24. This false narrative is promoted by politnavigator.net, which references a commentary of a Russian expert.

Cornel Ciobanu
Cornel Ciobanu
28 Feb 2022
FAKE NEWS: Chișinău is fueling the conflict in Transnistria so that the West should maintain an interest in Moldova

FAKE NEWS: Chișinău is fueling the conflict in Transnistria so that the West should maintain an interest in Moldova

The Government in Chișinău wants to fuel the Transnistrian conflict in order to make the country more appealing to the West and thus obtain a larger financial support, according to a recent false narrative. In fact, the conflict in Transnistria is one of the major obstacles in the way of Moldova’s future European integration.

Cornel Ciobanu
Cornel Ciobanu
31 Jan 2022
FAKE NEWS: Moldova’s raprochement with the EU will lead to the recognition of gay marriages

FAKE NEWS: Moldova’s raprochement with the EU will lead to the recognition of gay marriages

The new Government in Chisinau is a puppet of the West, which will impose both the legalization of homosexual marriages, and the union with Romania, according to a comment published by the Russian portal politnavigator.net, taken over in the Republic of Moldova. The portal actually resumes false narratives about the danger of the Republic of Moldova’s rapprochement with the EU, but also of its disappearance as a state, due to the alleged influence of the pro-Western forces.

Cornel Ciobanu
Cornel Ciobanu
09 Aug 2021
FAKE NEWS: PAS cedes the republican stadium to the Americans following the decision of the Constitutional Court, whose judges are Romanian citizens

FAKE NEWS: PAS cedes the republican stadium to the Americans following the decision of the Constitutional Court, whose judges are Romanian citizens

After the elections were won by PAS/Maia Sandu, the republican stadium in Chisinau is now ceded to the Americans, by a decision of the Constitutional Court, whose judges are Romanian citizens, and Romania gives away everything the US asks for, the Kremlin's main propaganda channel, Radio Sputnik, claims in a comment. The narratives aim to create the false image that the new government in Chisinau is controlled by the United States, and the diplomatic mission in Chisinau will spy on Russia from the new headquarters.

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
06 Aug 2021
How the new power in Chisinau will manage the relation with Moscow. Threats from the Kremlin

How the new power in Chisinau will manage the relation with Moscow. Threats from the Kremlin

After winning the presidential elections, Maia Sandu has stabilized and secured the relations with the country’s closest neighbors - Romania and Ukraine. The legitimate question arises whether she has also managed to stabilize the complicated relationship between the Republic of Moldova and Russia, especially in the new context created by the recent parliamentary elections, won by the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), which she has founded.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
19 Jul 2021
Kremlin's game: the pressure points that Moscow will use during Moldova's elections campaign

Kremlin's game: the pressure points that Moscow will use during Moldova's elections campaign

Russian claims that EU and the USA are allegedly interfering in the parliamentary election in Chișinău, scheduled for July 11. On May 13, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said “it is regrettable to see the growing interference of the United States and EU countries in the domestic politics of the Republic of Moldova, something which we firmly condemn”.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
17 May 2021
The Die Has Been Cast: Moldova’s Elections at a GLANCE

The Die Has Been Cast: Moldova’s Elections at a GLANCE

Making predictions before elections in the Republic of Moldova means hazarding a guess. Such an action requires not only knowledge and intuition, but also a lot of luck and a special flair for anticipating last-minute backstage arrangements. However, the campaign for the snap parliamentary elections due on July 11 has kicked off, and based on current data and trends, we will analyze who the actors are and what chances they stand at the moment. A dirty election campaign is announced from the left wing, which seems ready to bring into play resources that are incomparable to those available to the right.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
10 May 2021
The Soviet-style power vertical, still very much alive in Moldova. The Igor Dodon case

The Soviet-style power vertical, still very much alive in Moldova. The Igor Dodon case

The surrender or transfer of power have always been the center of attention in Chisinau, which proves that democracy, even after 30 years of independence from the Soviet Union, is still fragile.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
19 Apr 2021
From "flower bridges" to pragmatism. Romanian soft power in Moldova.

From "flower bridges" to pragmatism. Romanian soft power in Moldova.

In recent years, Romania has funded numerous projects that have had a direct impact on the population. In parallel, a certain type of patriotic discourse, irritating for a significant part of the population of the Republic of Moldova, has been tempered as well. The result of this policy carried out with soft-power tools is that while the declared unionist parties in Chisinau are free falling in the electorate’s preferences, paradoxically the number of unionists is on the rise.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
29 Mar 2021
Dodon's decline and a few scenarios before Moldova's political storm

Dodon's decline and a few scenarios before Moldova's political storm

The political stage in Chișinău is once again in crisis. The incompatibility between the pro-European president Maia Sandu and her governing opponents, from the camp of the corrupt pro-Russia “establishment” in Chișinău, has led to new confrontations and situations hard to anticipate.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
02 Mar 2021
DISINFORMATION: The Republic of Moldova will descend into financial collapse

DISINFORMATION: The Republic of Moldova will descend into financial collapse

The media in the Republic of Moldova and Russia have published an apocalyptic economic growth forecast made public by Mariana Durleșteanu, a former economy Minister nominated for the office of Prime Minister by the Party of Socialists in the Republic of Moldova (PSRM). Durleșteanu presents no data to support her claims, which have been disputed so far by economic analysts and the estimates of both the Government and international organizations.

Cornel Ciobanu
Cornel Ciobanu
22 Feb 2021
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu and Zelensky have agreed to attack Transnistria

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu and Zelensky have agreed to attack Transnistria

According to a Telegram post of a Russian TV station, the president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is considering a military attack on the separatist region of Trasnistria and has tried to rally Kiev’s support. The story has prompted a true media frenzy in Chișinău and Moscow, having been redistributed by a large number of media outlets. Chișinău authorities have dismissed this scenario, which they say carries little weight.

Cornel Ciobanu
Cornel Ciobanu
15 Feb 2021
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu wants to abolish free media

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu wants to abolish free media

The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, only mimics her attachement to democratic and European values and if she could, she would establish an authoritarian regime in which freedom of expression would be limited. This fake narrative, originating from the Socialist circles, was also used during the elections campaign. 

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
05 Feb 2021
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is a ‘virus’ by means of which the West wants to destroy Moldovan statehood

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is a ‘virus’ by means of which the West wants to destroy Moldovan statehood

Maia Sandu is an agent of foreign entities who behaves like a virus created to destroy the Moldovan state and unite with Romania the territories beyond the Prut. The idea that the leader in Chisinau would be responsible for the political crisis that the Socialists actually created is also promoted.

Cornel Ciobanu
Cornel Ciobanu
18 Jan 2021
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is trying to subjugate Moldova’s power structures in order to crush her opponents

FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu is trying to subjugate Moldova’s power structures in order to crush her opponents

The newly elected president of the Republic of Moldova wants to control intelligence agencies and prosecutor’s offices to attack her opponents, just like millionaire Vlad Plahotniuc. The narrative is publicized by people close to PSRM, a party which holds de facto control over the institutions in question, although it has formally lost power.

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
15 Jan 2021