American ambassador to, Derek Hogan, is coordinating Maia Sandu, with a view to bringing the Republic of Moldova under Western control. This Western conspiracy narrative targeting Moldova has been reactivated in the context of the political and epidemiological crisis facing the country and against the backdrop of Socialists’ efforts to cling to power despite the defeat sustained in the election.
NEWS: “[…] The United States is actively involved in Moldovan politics. We recall that, in January, 2016, a high-ranking delegate of the Department of State, Victoria Nuland, greenlit the creation of the Plahotniuc-Filip Cabinet. Subsequently, in June, 2019, when the two-faction alliance took the power reigns, Dereck Hogan went to the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) and instructed “the terrible oligarch” to leave Moldova, and Vlad Plahotniuc immediately complied with the “recommendation”. In the 2020 presidential election, the USA ambassador overtly supported “the suitable candidate”, expressing his opinion publicly regarding domestic matters, thus actually interfering with the election in the Republic of Moldova.
A few days before, when a serious conflict emerged between Parliament and the Moldovan president which the latter created, Dereck Hogan again referred to the developments in the country. He manifestly supported one of the two sides, the president, and in fact repeated what Maia Sandu had previously told Moldovan society. Since Parliament agreed on a certain position and the president was forced to observe the Constitution, her actions needed correcting. Therefore, after learning from Igor Dodon about the Parliament majority’s decisions, the American diplomat went to see Maia Sandu. We recall the meeting between the US envoy and the Moldovan head of state took place on March 11.
On the next day, the president summoned an emergency meeting of the Supreme Security Council to discuss the epidemiological context in Moldova. […] It was clear for everyone, however, that in order for things to improve, swift action was needed: the Russian Sputnik V vaccine had to be purchased and authorities and manufacturers in Moscow had to be contacted directly. Aside from accelerating vaccination, the Moldovan authorities had already exhausted all other possibilities of keeping the pandemic in check. But Moldova’s president, probably much like Ukraine’s president, refuses to cooperate with Moscow on a matter of principle. And Sandu negotiated online with representatives of Janssen Pharmaceutica, a pharmaceutical company owned by the American corporation Johnson & Johnson.
Will this negotiation make any difference, if American authorities have made it clear that the American people would be vaccinated first, before selling their vaccines to other countries? […] While examining the president’s unexpected change of tactics, one can assume Maia Sandu’s “shift” of policy occurred right after meeting with the United States ambassador in Moldova, Dereck Hogan. The whole story about the consultations, Mariana Durleșteanu giving up her appointment as Prime Minister, the revelations of RISE Moldova’s investigation, the expedited decree to appoint Igor Grosu, this all resembles a carefully planned and wisely implemented operation. Its purpose is to trigger early parliamentary elections and help Maia Sandu’s party win it. A win would offer full control over Parliament and the country to forces directed by the West. Western powers have invested too much in Maia Sandu’s project, in creating a network of influential NGOs, in “independent” mass-media, and have no intention of giving up their objectives […]”
NARRATIVES: 1. The United States’ ambassador dictates the actions of president Maia Sandu. 2. The USA and the West want to exert full control over Moldova via political forces under their command. 3. The West and the United States have set up networks of influential NGOs and are funding media outlets in order to achieve their goal of controlling Moldova. 4. Only the Russian vaccine Sputnik V will save the Republic of Moldova from the pandemic. 5. The president of the Republic of Moldova, just like Ukraine’s president, refuses to cooperate with Moscow on a matter of principle.
BACKGROUND: The Republic of Moldova has had an interim Government since December, 2021, after the Socialist Government led by Ion Chicu stepped down on December 23, one day before the newly-elected head of state, Maia Sandu, was due to take office. At the time, the Socialists seemed willing to organize early elections, considering the results of the presidential election had unequivocally revealed a shift in voters’ choice favoring pro-European forces, which made up a minority in Parliament. The only way early elections could be held was for two consecutive Prime Minister nominations to be rejected. After the first candidate nominated by Maia Sandu, Natalia Gavriliță, was turned down, the Socialists and their allies, fugitive oligarch Ilan Șor’s party, as well as former members of the party of the other oligarch who fled the country, Vladimir Plahotniuc, came up with their own nomination, Mariana Durleșteanu, in an attempt to stay in power. Tuesday, March 16, president Maia Sandu designated the interim president of Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) to make up a new Cabinet. On the very same day, the president had consultations with parliamentary parties, but PSRM and Șor Party declared their support for Mariana Durleșteanu for the position of Prime Minister. While Socialist leader, Igor Dodon, was holding talks with president Maia Sandu, Mariana Durleșteanu wrote on her Facebook page, withdrawing her candidacy for the position of Prime Minister. Igor Grosu is a close associate of Maia Sandu. He was her deputy while Sandu served as Education Minister, and together they later founded the Action and Solidarity Party, which Igor Grosu presently leads. After Grosu’s designation, the Socialists decided to drag out the crisis, announcing they make a new nomination, this time Moldova’s Ambassador to Moscow, Vladimir Golovatiuc.
Meanwhile, the epidemiological crsis has worsened in the Republic of Moldova, considering the measures taken in the last year to fight the pandemic were chaotic. The population was menawhile bombarded with conflicting messages (during their term in office Igor Dodon and PSRM sought to belittle the risks of the pandemic) and countless fake narratives. The former Socialist government provided no funds for the purchase of vaccines in the 2021 state budget, so Moldova’s hopes are now tied to donations from Romania and the WHO’s COVAX mechanism. For the time being, unlike other states, Moldova hasn’t started a comprehensive vaccination campaign.
PURPOSE: The article is claiming the United States and the West are directly involved in the domestic policy of the Republic of Moldova, and the American ambassador dictates the actions of president Maia Sandu. At the same time, it promotes the idea that the head of state, pro-Western parties, NGOs and independent media actually serve the interests of external forces.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Maia Sandu has resumed talks with political parties under a Constitutional Court ruling, which compels the president to consult with parliamentary factions in order to designate a new Prime Minister, after Sandu initially tried to designate Natalia Gavriliță for a second time.
The article is rehashing accusations regarding the attempts of the West and the United States to control the Republic of Moldova. These narratives spearheaded the offense against Maia Sandu in the presidential election campaign last year, employed by both the pro-Russian candidate, Igor Dodon, as well as by the authorities in Moscow. An attack has also recently targeted the EU’s ambassador in Chişinău, Peter Michalko, who expressed concern over the fact that people involved in the billion-dollar bank fraud have a say in the formation of the new Cabinet. Wednesday, March 17, 2021, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the European Union and the United States of interfering with the domestic affairs of the Republic of Moldova.
The USA’s ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, Dereck J. Hogan, wrote an op-ed piece published by Anticoruptie.md, where he expressed the United States’ support for the Republic of Moldova. An ambassador’s support is not, however, tantamount to guiding the country’s policy.
As regards vaccines, the Republic of Moldova is relying on Romania’s donation of 200 thousand shots (the first batch of 21,600 doses reached Moldova on February 27) and on the WHO’s COVAX international mechanism, under which a batch of 14,400 AstraZeneca doses arrived in Moldova in early March. The issue with Sputnik V is a private matter supported by Socialist leader, Igor Dodon, whereby vaccines will be made available to anyone who can afford it.
GRAIN OF TRUTH: US Ambassador Dereck J. Hogan met on March 10 with Igor Dodon, and the PSRM leader subsequently said they tackled “various topics regarding the development of bilateral relations. I have underlined the importance of consolidating and furthering cooperation. In particular, we talked about the domestic policies of the Republic of Moldova and I have reiterated PSRM’s top priority, namely that all political processes in Moldova, all the statements and actions of the leaders of the state and political parties must comply with the provisions of the Constitution and the legislation in force in Moldova”.
Before the Democratic Party was removed from power in 2019, the United States ambassador met with its leader, Vladimir Plahotniuc, before he fled the country.
