Intimidation against Moldova's government is increasing, in a year in which the citizens of this former Soviet republic are called on in the autumn to re-elect the pro-European Maia Sandu as president or to go back to their recent past with a candidate who submits to her to return repetitions of the Kremlin. Just two days after the breakaway region of Transnistria demanded protection from Russia amid “growing pressure” from Moldova's executive branch to impose tariffs, another autonomous region within this Eastern European country's borders joined the pro-Russian separatists' request. Eugenia Gutul, governor of Gagaúzia – a small territorial unit of about 140,000 inhabitants that was granted autonomous status in 1994 to avoid another armed conflict like that with the rebel enclave two years earlier – also condemned the “pressure” from the capital in Moscow this Friday Chisinau of Moldova and asked for help during a meeting with the President of the Russian Federation Council (Upper House), Valentina Matvienko.
“The central authorities are violating the rights of the Gagaúzos, all limits have already been exceeded; “We have maintained friendly relations with Russia for years, we want to maintain them in the future and have the support of the Russian Federation,” said Gutul, who was sworn in as head of this autonomous Turkish-speaking region on July 19. However, their population predominantly speaks Russian. “Together with Russia we will be able to achieve more than with any other country,” emphasized the governor. For his part, Matvienko mentioned that Moscow was following the events in Moldova “with great sadness.” “If the Gagaúzia government is willing to cooperate, we will agree on all the necessary support to strengthen and expand our relations; “Nobody can forbid us from doing this,” said the Russian president.
In addition to Transnistria's appeal to the Kremlin for help, which was completely ignored by President Vladimir Putin during his annual speech to parliament on Thursday, pro-Russian opponent Ilan Sor, a promoter of anti-government demonstrations, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for fraud and money laundering in early February also a trip from Israel, where he currently lives, to the Russian capital. Interpol asked Russia to arrest and extradite the fugitive politician, but Moscow refused to process the request. Also this month, the leader of the Socialist Party of Moldova, former President Igor Dodon, traveled to the Russian Federation, but did not disclose with whom he met.
Territorial claims and the expulsion of opponents have kept Moldova's government on guard. She believes that all actors involved are planning an information campaign to destabilize the country and gain political advantage for the presidential election campaign. In fact, attacks on social networks against the pro-Western president have multiplied in recent months, as several think tanks report. After learning of the claim of Transnistria, an enclave where some 2,000 Russian soldiers are stationed, Moldova's president eased tensions by declaring that citizens are safe thanks to Ukraine acting as a “shield” against Russia be. However, she warned that Moscow was trying to spread fear among the population. “The Kremlin wants us to be scared and spineless and led by corrupt people so that we can get along with them and represent their interests. We cannot allow them to do this, we must maintain peace, which depends on our unity and our ability not to be deceived,” Sandu explained.
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