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The elimination of the Moldovan language and the pro-Russians’ fury. Moscow is losing the key tools it used to maintain its influence in Moldova

The elimination of the Moldovan language and the pro-Russians’ fury. Moscow is losing the key tools it used to maintain its influence in Moldova

The linguistic and identity issue has persisted throughout the Republic of Moldova’s 30 years of independence. The most important claim during the national liberation movement of 1988-91 – the recognition of the Romanian language as the official language and the fact that Moldovans are part of the Romanian people – was hijacked in the following years by politicians from the old communist nomenclature, who also succeeded to include in the Constitution the phrase “the Moldovan language” as the state language.

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
07 Mar 2023
DISINFORMATION: The government in Chisinau wants to eliminate the Moldovan language because it is preparing the union

DISINFORMATION: The government in Chisinau wants to eliminate the Moldovan language because it is preparing the union

The thesis about the two distinct peoples - Moldovan and Romanian – has been brought back into discussion by the Russian media in the context in which the Chisinau Parliament voted a law stipulating that the phrase “Moldovan language” shall be replaced in the legislation of the Republic of Moldova with “Romanian language”. Russian propaganda claims that the measure - taken following a decision by the Constitutional Court - is intended to prepare the union of the Republic of Moldova with Romania.

Veridica
Veridica
06 Mar 2023
FAKE NEWS: Students in Romania are forced to watch films that promote suicide and homosexuality

FAKE NEWS: Students in Romania are forced to watch films that promote suicide and homosexuality

Romanian students are taught that accepting sexual advances is a moral obligation, and suicide a way to solve one’s issues, claims an association that campaigns for “defending, promoting and strengthening the rights of parents in Romania”. It all started when the students of the “Scoala Centrala” National College in Bucharest, as part of an extracurricular activity developed in partnership with the French Institute, watched a film that focuses on the friendship between two teenagers faced with age-specific challenges.

Cezar Manu
Cezar Manu
03 Mar 2023
DISINFORMATION: Romania is massing troops at the border with Moldova and in also in Chisinau, even if it denies it

DISINFORMATION: Romania is massing troops at the border with Moldova and in also in Chisinau, even if it denies it

Russian propaganda media have resumed the false narrative regarding the massing of Romanian troops at the border with the Republic of Moldova, even if it had been debunked by the press and officially denied by Romania. Mediafax, the press agency that published the fake news in Romania, replaced it without an explanation.

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
01 Mar 2023
FAKE NEWS: Ukraine is preparing to attack Transnistria, and an army of NATO tanks stationed on Romanian soil will head for Crimea

FAKE NEWS: Ukraine is preparing to attack Transnistria, and an army of NATO tanks stationed on Romanian soil will head for Crimea

Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are preparing for a military operation against Transnistria and an “armada” of tanks stationed in Romania will come to help, writes the Russian publication politnavigator, citing statements made by so-called Russian experts. Just three days after the false narrative was published in the press, it was officially resumed , in a slightly modified form, by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Veridica
Veridica
23 Feb 2023
FAKE NEWS: In the future, people will have to pay in order to be able to breathe

FAKE NEWS: In the future, people will have to pay in order to be able to breathe

The future of humanity becomes questionable because of the new restrictive measures that will be implemented in the near future, under which people will have to pay in order to be able to breathe. This unbelievable statement belongs to the lawyer Gheorghe Piperea, known for promoting several false narratives in the public space, and is based on Tarom's decision to print, on the boarding pass, the level of carbon dioxide emissions of the flight, per passenger.

Cezar Manu
Cezar Manu
21 Feb 2023
Those who caused the earthquake should pay! Senator Diana Sosoaca’s view of the tragedy that hit Turky and Syria

Those who caused the earthquake should pay! Senator Diana Sosoaca’s view of the tragedy that hit Turky and Syria

The earthquake in Turkey was caused by the “the world’s great powers” - i.e. Westerners - to punish the country's president, Recep Tayip Erdoğan, Senator Diana Sosoaca believes. She presented her theory on the very rostrum of the Senate, in a statement stuffed with conspiracy theories, fake history, narratives about the war in Ukraine reminiscent of Russian propaganda and a call to battle with references to the Old Testament.

Cezar Manu
Cezar Manu
15 Feb 2023
DISINFORMATION: Romanians will regain the country's wealth if they isolate themselves from the West, like Japan did

DISINFORMATION: Romanians will regain the country's wealth if they isolate themselves from the West, like Japan did

Romania's assets have been confiscated by foreigners, and Romanians can only get them back if they isolate themselves from the West, according to a false narrative typical of the sovereignist trend. Romanians are urged to stop buying Western products, to stop working in corporations and to stop participating in the democratic process, as Japan did in order to become an economic power after World War II. But the Japan example is simply bogus. The catastrophic results of sovereignty and isolationism are evident if we look how the states that have chosen this path have failed.

Cezar Manu
Cezar Manu
10 Feb 2023
DISINFORMATION: The EU won’t let Romania help Syria, a country strongly affected by the February 6 quake

DISINFORMATION: The EU won’t let Romania help Syria, a country strongly affected by the February 6 quake

Europe’s embargo prevents the delivery of assistance to Syria, a country also devastated by the earthquake, and out of subservience to its Western masters, Romania too has refused to help the troubled Syrian people, according to a piece of disinformation promoted by on online publication that also spread false narratives over the years, many of which are specific to Russian propaganda. The disinformation was promoted by former Foreign Minister Adrian Severin, an ex-criminal convict with a strong pro-Moscow rhetoric. In fact, both the EU and Romania have provided help to Syria.

Cezar Manu
Cezar Manu
09 Feb 2023
FAKE NEWS: The global cabal wants to use digital currencies to enslave mankind

FAKE NEWS: The global cabal wants to use digital currencies to enslave mankind

Digital currencies will be used to turn the world population into slaves, preventing people from owning properties, travelling or buying whatever they want, reads a false narrative reiterated after the publication of an announcement regarding the appointment of the head of the digital currency at the British Treasury. In fact, digital currencies are traditional currencies stored or exchanged on digital systems.

Cezar Manu
Cezar Manu
01 Feb 2023
FAKE NEWS: The Romanian Orthodox Church wants to take over parishes from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in order to pave the way for the annexation of territories by Romania

FAKE NEWS: The Romanian Orthodox Church wants to take over parishes from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in order to pave the way for the annexation of territories by Romania

The Romanian Orthodox Church wants to take over parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the pro-Kremlin publication Politnavigator writes. According to the media outlet, the first step in this respect in Ukraine would be for Romania to capture Bukovina, whereas in the Republic of Moldova the Moldovan authorities will abolish the Metropolitanate of Moldova, which is subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church. The article contains a number of false narratives designed to promote several disinformation theses, for instance Romania allegedly having an expansionist policy and Ukraine being an artificial state.

Veridica
Veridica
23 Jan 2023
FAKE NEWS: The EU makes Moldova's accession conditional on the legalization of same-sex marriages

FAKE NEWS: The EU makes Moldova's accession conditional on the legalization of same-sex marriages

“The accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, conditional on the legalization of LGBT marriages”, headlined national.ro, the topic being immediately taken up by pro-Kremlin news sites in the Republic of Moldova and Russia. In fact, it is not an obligation, but a recommendation from May of the European Parliament regarding the rights of the LGBT community. Moreover, the Republic of Moldova later obtained the status of candidate country without having to legalize marriages between people of the same sex.

Veridica
Veridica
29 Dec 2022
FAKE NEWS: NATO forces were brought to Romania to help it annex the Republic of Moldova and part of the territory of Ukraine

FAKE NEWS: NATO forces were brought to Romania to help it annex the Republic of Moldova and part of the territory of Ukraine

Romania intends to annex the Republic of Moldova and part of the territory of Ukraine, and NATO is supporting it militarily, according to a false narrative carried by the Russian media. Another narrative is that, in turn, Poland, seeks to annex part of the western regions of Ukraine. The false narratives start from theses, spread for years by Russia, regarding the artificial nature of the Ukrainian state and the aggressiveness of the West.

Veridica
Veridica
22 Dec 2022
Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are leaving the “Russian Spy Bank”, while Hungary stands with Russia

Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are leaving the “Russian Spy Bank”, while Hungary stands with Russia

The decision of the four countries to leave the International Investment Bank (IIB), also known as the “Russian Spy Bank”, came within days of Russia invading Ukraine. The legal proceedings were cumbersome in certain countries, due to the financial risks such a move entailed. Set up in 1970, the Bank continues to operate today in Budapest, although key decisions are taken in Moscow.

Marian Voicu
Marian Voicu
21 Dec 2022
FAKE NEWS: The Moldovan authorities sell at higher prices the cheap gas they receive from Russia

FAKE NEWS: The Moldovan authorities sell at higher prices the cheap gas they receive from Russia

The authorities in Chisinau are reselling to the EU, at higher prices, part of the natural gas supplied by Gazprom, according to a false narrative in the Russian media. In reality, Chisinau supplies Transnistria with all the gas it currently buys from Gazprom and uses other sources for the consumers on the right bank of the Dniester.

Veridica
Veridica
06 Dec 2022
How Romanian parties try to win voters in the Republic of Moldova. Connections with controversial figures, branches with a handful of members and partnerships with local parties

How Romanian parties try to win voters in the Republic of Moldova. Connections with controversial figures, branches with a handful of members and partnerships with local parties

The political parties in Romania have not been able to outline a program or a strategy to do politics in the Republic of Moldova, but they are interested in the votes they could get from there, as, according to estimates, some one million Moldovan citizens are also Romanian citizens in documents, and that makes a significant electoral pool. Four parliamentary parties from Bucharest are currently fighting for the votes of the Bessarabians: PSD (Social Democratic Party) PNL (National Liberal Party), USR (Save Romania Union) and AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians). Veridica wanted to find out how these parties are positioned before the 2023 local elections in the Republic of Moldova, but especially in the run-up to the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections in Romania.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
29 Nov 2022
FAKE NEWS: Already conquered by the West, Romania lets itself be trampled upon by Ukraine

FAKE NEWS: Already conquered by the West, Romania lets itself be trampled upon by Ukraine

With its sovereignty at the mercy of the great Western powers, Romania is now turning itself into a doormat for Kyiv and dismissed its Minister of Defense, Vasile Dâncu, just because he spoke of peace, according to the former Prime Minister, Viorica Dăncilă. The narrative very much resembles Russia's, according to which Ukraine - the country under attack - is the one that does not want peace. Viorica Dăncilă has also promoted the false narrative that Ukraine undermines Romania’s agriculture and, implicitly, its economy.

Veridica
Veridica
23 Nov 2022
FAKE NEWS: NATO stole Romania's National Day, while leaving the country without an army

FAKE NEWS: NATO stole Romania's National Day, while leaving the country without an army

The military conflict near the country's borders has brought the discussion about Romania's defensive capabilities back into focus, and now that Romania is about to celebrate its National Day on December 1st, the sovereignist propaganda resumed its discourse, announcing the systematic loss of state independence, this time symbolized by the fact that only foreign soldiers would participate in the December 1st parade. In reality, units of the partner armies, and not only from NATO, but even from the ex-Soviet space, are constantly invited to the parade.

Veridica
Veridica
16 Nov 2022
FAKE NEWS: Romanian consumers will no longer be able to purchase energy from Hidroelectrica and Nuclearelectrica, which will supply electricity to the Republic of Moldova

FAKE NEWS: Romanian consumers will no longer be able to purchase energy from Hidroelectrica and Nuclearelectrica, which will supply electricity to the Republic of Moldova

Romania will run out of electricity supplies this winter, because the government passed a decree whereby the entire energy output of the country’s state-owned electricity providers will be transferred to the Republic of Moldova, according to a false narrative launched in the context of the energy crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In fact, Bucharest authorities never passed such a decree, while both providers have standing contracts with the state that need to be honored.

Veridica
Veridica
09 Nov 2022
FAKE NEWS: The secret services will orchestrate protests to justify the EU abandoning Ukraine

FAKE NEWS: The secret services will orchestrate protests to justify the EU abandoning Ukraine

European Union Member States will abandon Ukraine ahead of the cold season lest Russia should suspend its gas deliveries and for fear of a nuclear threat coming from Moscow. To justify their decision, EU countries will play host to a number of protests with the help of the secret services.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
23 Sep 2022
FAKE NEWS: The EU abandoned the Republic of Moldova, and Romania doubled the price of electricity

FAKE NEWS: The EU abandoned the Republic of Moldova, and Romania doubled the price of electricity

The European Union has abandoned the Republic of Moldova, Romania has doubled its energy tariff, and the anti-Russian policy of the government in Chisinau has triggered deep crises, baltnews.com writes. In reality, the West is the biggest financial supporter of the Republic of Moldova, which is affected by the crisis just like the rest of the countries in the region.

Veridica
Veridica
19 Sep 2022
DISINFORMATION: Russia is not to blame for the energy and natural gas price surge

DISINFORMATION: Russia is not to blame for the energy and natural gas price surge

Russia is not to blame for the global rise in energy prices, it is the fault of an increasingly greedy Europe that has created “energy bubbles”. This false narrative, promoted in an online publication in Romania, repeats Russian propaganda and ignores Moscow's actions that actually led to the current situation.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
14 Sep 2022
How the Republic of Moldova distanced itself from Russia under the pro-European leadership and against the background of the war in Ukraine

How the Republic of Moldova distanced itself from Russia under the pro-European leadership and against the background of the war in Ukraine

The Republic of Moldova has increasingly distanced itself from Russia since the pro-European forces came to power in Chisinau following the early parliamentary elections of July 2021. The new government has taken a series of measures to reduce Moscow's influence and the dependence on it and sought, at the same time, to get in line, as much as possible, with the Western stands.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
13 Sep 2022
DISINFORMATION: Romania and Europe will freeze next winter

DISINFORMATION: Romania and Europe will freeze next winter

Romania, just like the other European countries, will suffer terribly because of the gas price and Russia's decision to partially halt gas supplies to Europe, but this is only the fault of the European leaders, who punished Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. The false narrative ignores the fact that Russia needs the Europeans’ money, and the latter have taken steps to avoid a major energy crisis.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
08 Sep 2022
The region of Găgăuzia in the Republic of Moldova – Moscow’s Trojan horse

The region of Găgăuzia in the Republic of Moldova – Moscow’s Trojan horse

Găgăuzia is perhaps the most pro-Russian region in the Republic of Moldova. A breakaway region since the early 90s, Găgăuzia eventually recognized Chișinău’s sovereignty, although it wants to break with this country in the event of a unification with Romania or even EU accession.

Veridica
Veridica
05 Sep 2022
DISINFORMATION: Most Romanians want their country to leave NATO and the EU

DISINFORMATION: Most Romanians want their country to leave NATO and the EU

Most Romanian nationals want their country to leave NATO and the EU and there is no party that can politically capitalize on this move, according to a false narrative promoted by Gold FM, a radio station previously linked to promoting disinformation and fake news. The narrative is contradicted by surveys.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
01 Sep 2022
Romanian Language Day and the Republic of Moldova’s inability to discover its own identity and guarantee its security

Romanian Language Day and the Republic of Moldova’s inability to discover its own identity and guarantee its security

Uncertainty linked to the official language of the Republic of Moldova, 31 years after this country proclaimed its independence, reflects just how hard defining and accepting a national identity has been. The country’s inability to settle linguistic disputes and break away from “Moldovenism”, a Soviet construct, is one of Chișinău’s many failures: after 31 years of independence, the country is still unable to fully control its territory and to ensure its energy and military security.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
31 Aug 2022
FAKE NEWS: A basketball player in Romania died due to vaccination against COVID-19

FAKE NEWS: A basketball player in Romania died due to vaccination against COVID-19

Vaccination against COVID-19 is the cause of death of an 18-year-old basketball player from the National Women's Basketball League of Romania, according to an online publication that has promoted numerous false narratives about the coronavirus. The article was published before the cause of death was established and it was not known whether the young woman had been vaccinated or not.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
18 Aug 2022
DISINFORMATION: Maia Sandu is plotting a coup against her own government

DISINFORMATION: Maia Sandu is plotting a coup against her own government

The PAS Cabinet has created chaos in Moldova. It wants to sever ties with Gazprom, while the USA is grooming a successor to Maia Sandu, reads a website promoting Kremlin policies. The website also states that Maia Sandu is plotting a coup against herself. The narratives are designed the smear the reputation of the pro-European government in Chișinău and to destabilize the internal context in the Republic of Moldova.

Mariana Vasilache
Mariana Vasilache
15 Aug 2022
DISINFORMATION: If the Republic of Moldova had remained a part of Romania, it would have been an underdeveloped region, with an illiterate population serving Romanians’ interests

DISINFORMATION: If the Republic of Moldova had remained a part of Romania, it would have been an underdeveloped region, with an illiterate population serving Romanians’ interests

The population of the Republic of Moldova would have been illiterate, forced to serve Romanians, had its territory remained part of Romania, reads a false narrative launched by a pro-Russian publication. The narrative was launched after a settlement in the Republic of Moldova commemorated the Romanian servicemen killed in World War II.

Veridica
Veridica
08 Aug 2022
DISINFORMATION – Chișinău has called on Romania for support to defend against Russia, and this will lead to the annexation of Moldova

DISINFORMATION – Chișinău has called on Romania for support to defend against Russia, and this will lead to the annexation of Moldova

The Republic of Moldova will call on Romania for help in case Russia attacks, and this will lead to Moldova being annexed by Romania, topwar.ru writes. Much like other Russian publications, topwar.ru is misquoting the statements made in Bucharest by president Maia Sandu, and interprets them as the announcement of an anti-Russian alliance.

Veridica
Veridica
03 Aug 2022
DISINFORMATION: The Romania – US strategic partnership brings no advantages

DISINFORMATION: The Romania – US strategic partnership brings no advantages

Romania's strategic partnership with the US has not produced any tangible results or advantages for Romania, it has only turned the country into an importer of American weapons.

Mădălin Necșuțu
Mădălin Necșuțu
22 Jul 2022