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.
NATO is flooding the Republic of Moldova with weapons in an attempt to boost its partnership with this country. The purpose of NATO is to drag Moldova into a war with Russia. These false narratives are promoted despite the fact that Moldova’s NATO accession is not up for debate.
The joint meeting of the Romanian and Moldovan governments represents a new step towards the annexation of the Republic of Moldova by Romania, according to a Russian analysis platform. The platform also resumes the old false narratives regarding the existence of a Moldovan people different from and older than the Romanian one.
Romania has appointed Cristian-Leon Țurcanu, a NATO expert, as its designated ambassador in Chișinău. Țurcanu will replace Daniel Ioniță, a vehement supporter of unionism. The narrative is launched in the context of a broader regional crisis, Russia having ramped up its disinformation over an alleged NATO threat to ex-Soviet space.
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.
The Republic of Moldova is preparing to relinquish its neutrality status and hand over control over its armed forces to NATO, according to a false narrative carried by the Russian media. In fact, Moldova has merely renewed its Action Plan with NATO, a periodic process that has nothing to do with neutrality or NATO accession.
The civil society in the Republic of Moldova has taken over the reins of power, exerting it in the interest of its external financiers, cenzura.md writes. The commentary draws on an article disseminating similar narratives, published by the Armenian news portal verelq.am, which in turn cites Dalma News, a media outlet from the Caucasus.
Chisinau has allegedly insulted Russia by expelling observers to the Transnistrian presidential elections. This disinformation seeks to defend the idea that the elections are a democratic exercise and also the legitimacy of Transnistria, which is in fact an internationally unrecognized entity.
The West is responsible for the problems facing countries in ex-Soviet space, according to a narrative published in Chișinău. In fact, ex-Soviet states are struggling with their Soviet legacy, and Russia is the one fueling their current problems.
The EU Association Agreement did not bring any gains to Moldova, which lost the Russian market without being able to export to the EU, according to a false narrative published in the Russian media.
The closing down of a grammar school for 51 pupils gave rise to a false narrative claiming that “Russian-language schools are being closed down in the Republic of Moldova”.
The United States is calling for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping forces from Transnistria, writes Kremlin mouthpiece Sputnik. In fact, the discussion in Washington concerns Russia’s other forces and ammunition in the separatist region.
Russia saved the Republic of Moldova in the context of this country’s gas crisis, by offering it the best price on the market. Previously, Moscow saved Moldova from defeat in 1992, during the armed conflict in Transnistria. The fake narratives are promoted by a publication close to the separatist regimes in Eastern Ukraine, subordinated to the Kremlin. In fact, Chișinău was forced to sign a new, less favorable contract with Gazprom, while in 1992 Russia backed the separatists.
Ukraine is unhappy with the fact that the Republic of Moldova has signed with Gazprom an extension of their gas supply contract, several publications in Chisinau write. The narrative is not based on any particular stand on Kiev’s part, it just started from an anonymous comment on Twitter. The news generated by this comment seems to be part of a larger campaign that seeks to undermine the relations between Chisinau and Kiev, which are not to the liking of Moscow.
The Foreign Minister in Tiraspol has resumed the narrative about a blockade imposed on the separatist region and stated that children in Transnistria have died because of it. However, patients in Transnistria have access to clinics on the right bank of the Dniester, including the SMURD emergency rescue service.
The Republic of Moldova will remain without its workforce for the fruit and vegetable harvest this year after the signing of an agreement that will allow Moldovans to work in the farming sector in Germany, the pro-socialist news portal kp.md writes. The narrative is trying to undermine the country’s European aspirations: in fact, the agreement is merely trying legalize the situation of all the Moldovans who are seeking jobs in Germany.
Maia Sandu and her administration are preparing the Republic of Moldova’s NATO accession in order to embroil the country in external conflicts, at the same time fueling inter-ethnic tensions at home by arresting the Prosecutor General, Alexandr Stoianoglo. Promoted by the Russian publication Komsomoliskaya Pravda, the narratives have been spread for some time now. Its authors do not explain, however, how a state with such a small military budget, a frozen military conflict and with Russian military forces deployed on its territory could possibly join NATO.
The Republic of Moldova’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention is a blow to orthodoxy and traditional values, says the former Moldovan president and the current Socialist leader, Igor Dodon, whose opinion has been largely disseminated by the media in the Republic of Moldova, particularly outlets affiliated to his party. This is not the first time Igor Dodon makes such statements regarding this document, which was submitted for ratification two years ago by a government under his control, made up largely by his advisers.
The European Union has closed its borders to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, according to a publication close to the Socialists that seeks to mislead the public based on a simple technical measure of the EU Council, which recommended the Member States to impose certain travel restrictions, against the background of the pandemic.
“A monument devoted to fascists was inaugurated in the Republic of Moldova”, a number of media outlets in Russia have headlined, based on a piece of news published by “Steaua Roșie” news agency, actually referring to a cemetery in Fălești devoted to Romanian fallen soldiers. Arctus.livejournal.com uses the article to bring back in the limelight the narratives about the Romanian Army allegedly having exterminated the civilian population in the Republic of Moldova and about the existence of two different peoples – Romanians and Moldovans.
The pro-European regime in Chișinău plans on reintroducing the ban on Russian television stations, the Moldovan media writes, referring to a statement of Parliament Speaker, Igor Grosu. In fact, the Moldovan official referred to the protection and stimulation of the local audiovisual sector, including by passing a piece of legislation to give it a wider access to the media market, considering it is presently dominated by stations broadcasting TV programmes from other countries. The misinterpretation is part of a wider campaign aimed at demonizing the pro-European regime in Chișinău and to depict it as anti-Russian, ready to engage in a war pitting the West against Moscow.
The Republic of Moldova is already taking in refugees from Afghanistan, according to a false narrative that recently surfaced in Chișinău. The narrative is part of a wider series of fake news and disinformation launched in several countries after Afghanistan fell into the Taliban’s hands.
The Republic of Moldova is a country run by an elite promoting the union with Romania and a primitive nationalism, violating the rights of ethnic minorities. This is the message of a false narrative that has been distributed by online publications. Its author also tries to inoculate the idea that Moldova could have chosen the path of joining the Eurasian Union, which is a model of welfare.
Maia Sandu and PAS are trying to undermine the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia (ATUG), according to media outlets in the Republic of Moldova and Russia, which are referring to the intention of the new Moldovan administration to sack the prosecutor general, a Gagauz ethnic. In fact, replacing the prosecutor has to do with efforts to combat corruption and reform the judiciary, in favor for which PAS and Maia Sandu have been militating for years.
An activist’s initiative to reduce the privileges granted to the Church and limit its interference in politics is presented as an assault by the Chisinau government on this institution. The Orthodox Church in the Republic of Moldova, largely subordinated to Russia, has often been involved in election campaigns, usually in favor of the left and against pro-Europeans, and the need to ban such actions has been talked about for years.
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.
Romanian gendarmes have instructed Moldovan carabinieri how to quell protests by the opposition if the latter tries to prevent the taking over of a piece of land for the future US embassy. This fake news hints at the Romanian gendarme narrative and resumes themes circulated in the campaign regarding the imminence of large-scale demonstrations.
Withdrawing the Russian peacekeeping force may lead to war breaking out in Transnistria, reads an article published by the «Независимое Приднестровье» (Independent Transnistria) news portal and also carried by Moldovan media. The article suggests that, in the event of a new conflict, where Russian troops are replaced with UN and OSCE forces, Moscow may no longer stay neutral.
After the Action and Solidarity Party won the latest parliamentary elections, its leadership, whose members have Romanian passports, wants to force the union of the Republic of Moldova with Romania, an article published by the Russian Strategic Culture Fund in Russia and published by Moldovan media as well infers. A series of newer or older false narratives such as those regarding the US involvement in the elections in the Republic of Moldova, the “Romanian gendarme” and the transformation of the Republic of Moldova into an enemy of Russia are also resumed.
Transnistria is currently under a blockade imposed by the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, behind which are the political allies of president Maia Sandu. The narratives about the worsening situation in Transnistria are not uncommon, and some of them actually caution against a possible conflict in the region. But this time, the Russian State Duma is behind the disinformation.
Romania is one step away from annexing the Republic of Moldova: it controls its foreign trade, it grants Romanian citizenship to Moldovans, and Maia Sandu is ready to reenact the unification, with Parliament’s help. This latest narrative surfaced in Russia and has been picked up by Moldovan media as well. The author of the disinformation claims Moscow should intervene to prevent the Republic of Moldova from being “swallowed”.
Maia Sandu closed schools and laid off teachers, according to the Socialist Bogdan Țîrdea, one of the main promoters of disinformation in Chisinau. The narrative, which is contradicted by statistics, has been used before and is being reactivated now, in the context of the election campaign, in order to destabilize the party founded by Maia Sandu, PAS, which, according to opinion polls, is the favorite.
