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At the West’s bidding, Moldova is ready to further worsen relations with Russia and introduce visas for Russian citizens, according to a false narrative launched in Tiraspol.
NEWS: On the eve of the first round of the presidential election, on October 20, Ursula von der Lynden arrived in Chișinău and tried to openly corrupt Moldovan voters, promising 1.8 billion EUR in aid on behalf of the EU. The condition was that Maia Sandu remain in power, and Chișinău would continue its pro-Western and anti-Russian policy.
[...] At the same time, the Moldovan diaspora in Russia (accounting for approximately half a million people) was de facto prevented from voting. Basically, the authorities in Chișinău, as part of their policy of breaking away with Russia, defied Moscow by opening not dozens of polling stations, as they did in Western countries, but only... two. Only 10,000 ballots were sent for people who came to vote here (both stations were open in the Moldovan Embassy in Moscow).
[...] The West and Bucharest urgently needed Maia Sandu's victory in order to implement the process of breaking with Russia, withdrawing Moldova from the CIS, suffocating Transnistria and suppressing Găgăuz autonomy in the south of the Republic of Moldova, with the possibility of its subsequent dissolution. For the US, the UK, the EU and Romania, Sandu’s victory was all the more necessary, given the failed attempt to involve Georgia in a conflict with Russia, when one of the Western emissaries wanted to convince Tbilisi leaders to strike Russia, to hold out for another 3-4 days and then retreat to the mountains, fighting as partisans (the country's leaders actually discussed this possibility). Of course, they were given guarantees arms will be delivered to Georgians. In other words, to fight „to the last Georgian”.
[...] At the same time, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Dorin Recean, met in Chișinău with the ambassadors of the Political and Security Committee of the European Union (PSC). The Moldovan Prime Minister confirmed that the Sandu administration will preserve its current anti-Russian policy: “The citizens of the Republic of Moldova made a historic choice, despite the Kremlin’s massive meddling and actions, aimed at undermining the democratic vote”.
[...] Therefore, what can we expect from those who are heading for an open confrontation with Moscow, Tiraspol and Comrat? First of all, we will see more attempts to suffocate Transnistria in social and economic terms. Measures currently used include the blocking exports of end products in order to stop the activity of enterprises, the introduction of new duties and taxes, etc. Secondly, it is possible to forcefully repress the pro-Russian population of Găgăuzia, which firmly opposes policies fostered by Chișinău authorities, who lean towards total subordination to the West, with the possibility of Moldova being absorbed by Romania. Attempts to completely abolish Găgăuz autonomy in the near future remain a possibility. Thirdly, the authorities might well consider adopting a set of measures to completely rid the political and information sectors of all opposition, including by eliminating the few remaining opposition media. We have seen the first signs of pressure began, translated into legal trials brought against the main candidate of the opposition, Alexandr Stoianoglo, with a view to taking him out of Moldova’s political life.
NARRATIVES: 1. The government of the Republic of Moldova is Russophobic and is ready to worsen relations with Russia at the West’s request. 2. The EU offered financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova, provided Maia Sandu be re-elected as president.
PURPOSE: To present the government in Chișinău as Russophobic in order to maintain and fuel panic and division in society. To question the results of the presidential election and the Constitutional referendum and to spread fear amidst certain segments of society regarding the consequences of the Republic of Moldova's EU rapprochement.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Ursula von der Leyen indeed visited the Republic of Moldova around the election and announced a support package for Moldova worth 1.8 billion Euro for the next three years, although the funds are earmarked for projects that will facilitate economic growth, while the EU official did not announce conditions or promises related to the results of the election or Moldova’s geopolitical orientation. The European Commission adopted the Economic Growth Plan for the Republic of Moldova on October 23.
The number of polling stations in Russia was one of the campaign themes of pro-Russian politicians and parties. Indeed the authorities have set up only two polling stations in this country, a decision that reflected the fact that this country is at war, while the only security they could provide was for Moldova’s diplomatic mission in Moscow. However, Russian propaganda exaggerates the number of Moldovan citizens in this state, speaking of around half a million Moldovans. The number is much lower, according to estimates of the Moldovan authorities. In addition, suspicion arose regarding voters being transported to polling stations in Moscow. 10,000 ballots is the maximum amount allowed by Law, which made it impossible to send more ballots to the two sections. We should further note that the 10,000 ballots were not even used in the first round of the voting process. In the previous election (the parliamentary election of 2021), although several polls were opened in Russia, only about 6,000 people cast their votes. The growing interest for the election this year among voters in Russia could confirm authorities' claims of voter transport and bribery attempts made by fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor. In addition, there is no logical connection between the way Chișinău organized the voting process for its citizens abroad, in our case Russia, and “spitting Moscow in the face”, as the author claims. The Republic of Moldova has not violated the rights of Russian citizens or the laws of the Russian Federation.
The West/Bucharest never asked Chișinău to break/worsen relations with Russia, (similarly, the claim that the EU asked Georgia to attack Russia is not supported by any evidence, typical of lies Russian propaganda is known to roll out on affiliated media).
Chișinău does not consider the possibility of introducing a visa system for Russian citizens, an action that would be detrimental to its own citizens, as previously stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Popșoi.
The accusations made by Tiraspol and Moscow about a so-called economic blockade on the region of Transnistria stem from the fact that a new Customs Code took effect on January 1 in the Republic of Moldova, which revokes a series of tax breaks for economic operators in the region of Transnistria, forcing them to pay taxes and duties in amounts equal to those paid by the population elsewhere in Moldova. The decision was designed to do away with an inequity, all the more flagrant as the economic operators from Transnistria do not pay the rest of their taxes to Chișinău, but benefit from many facilities and benefits (for example those deriving from the relationship with the EU).
In turn, the claims about the pressure on Alexandr Stoianoglo are equally false. The former presidential candidate, supported by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists, is targeted by several investigations launched in 2021. In addition, at least for now, Stoianoglo has not expressed his intention to enter politics.
BACKGROUND: On October 20, the Republic of Moldova hosted the presidential election and a referendum on amending the Constitution regarding the European integration of the country, in the context of opening accession negotiations with the community bloc. The results of the referendum were below the forecasts of opinion polls and the expectations of experts and the government, the difference in favor of amending the Constitution being less than one percent.
In the second round of presidential election, the current president, pro-European Maia Sandu, obtained a landslide victory against the opposition’s candidate, Alexandr Stoianoglo, supported by several pro-Russian parties and the beneficiary Ilan Shor’s vote-buying network. Maia Sandu's victory was ensured by the votes of the Moldovan diaspora.
The massive anti-EU vote is explained, at least in large part, through vote buying, as the authorities say, by means of a network led by the wanted oligarch Ilan Shor, currently living in Moscow, who is allegedly linked to Russian secret services, but also by means of an extensive Kremlin-led disinformation campaign targeting the EU, which also used the aforementioned network to get its messages across.
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