Republic of Moldova

Leaders from France, Germany and Poland have travelled to Moldova to show support for the country's accession to the EU and warn of Russia's "relentless" efforts to undermine that ambition.

Three more people have been arrested in Moldova on suspicion of involvement in plotting to cause unrest in the country after allegedly being trained at Russian-run camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an observation mission for the 28 September parliamentary elections in Moldova, following an invitation from the national authorities. The mission is led by Jillian Stirk and consists of a core team of 15 experts based in Chişinău.

Several dozen people gathered in the center of the Moldovan city of Comrat to support the sentenced pro-Russian leader of Gagauzia, Evghenia Gutul. … The politician is accused of illegally financing the pro-Russian Sor Party between 2019 and 2022. The Sor Party was banned by the Constitutional Court in 2023 over accusations of destabilizing the country.

A court in Chisinau, Moldova on Tuesday handed down a seven-year prison sentence to Evghenia Gutul, the pro-Russian governor of Gagauzia, for her role in a large-scale scheme to smuggle funds from Russia into Moldova.

[…] This policy brief examines the EU’s role in resolving conflicts in breakaway and occupied territories within eastern candidate countries. … The paper argues the EU should draw up a strategy that directly accounts for the breakaway and occupied regions of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria as part of eastern candidate countries’ membership journey.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Wednesday accused Russia of planning an “unprecedented” campaign to interfere in the country’s September parliamentary election, warning of a large-scale effort involving illegal financing, cyberattacks and disinformation.

Four left-wing and center-left parties in Moldova will unite in a pro-Russian electoral bloc for the upcoming parliamentary elections, Moldovan media outlet NewsMaker reported on July 22. … The new bloc includes the Socialist Party, the Communist Party, the Heart of Moldova, and the Future of Moldova parties. 

Moldova’s police on Tuesday said it had received confirmation through Interpol in Athens that Greek authorities had detained the fugitive oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, an internationally sanctioned figure on the run since 2019. … Once regarded as the most powerful man in Moldova, Plahotniuc has been accused of running the country as a personal fiefdom, manipulating the judiciary, controlling media outlets and exerting a deep influence over political and economic institutions.

[…] The new designations target close associates of Ilan Shor, already listed by the EU due to his involvement in the illegal financing of political parties in the Republic of Moldova and for incitement to violence.