Moldova has taken decisive action against the Russian embassy, expelling three Russian diplomats. According to Moldovan authorities, they helped pro-Kremlin lawmaker Alexander Nesterovsky flee the country to avoid a 12-year sentence in a case of illegal political financing, Reuters reports.
Nesterovsky, who has not commented on the case, is another example of the tension between Moldova's pro-European government and Russia. Official Moscow categorically denies any interference.
„Interference by the Russian Federation in the judicial system of the Republic of Moldova is completely unacceptable. "Imagine if we interfere with Russian justice," Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in an interview with Radio Moldova.
For his part, Russian Ambassador to Chisinau Oleg Ozerov described the accusations as unfounded and devoid of evidence.
Nesterovsky's Escape
The Moldovan Security Service released a video showing Nesterovsky entering the Russian embassy in Chisinau on March 18 - just a day before he was sentenced in absentia. Authorities say that on the day of the verdict, he was transported in a diplomatic vehicle to Transnistria - the breakaway region supported by Russia.
The MP was found guilty of illegally financing a pro-Russian party linked to fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor. The funding was aimed at local elections in 2023, the presidential vote in 2024 and a national referendum on Moldova's European integration. Nesterovski, however, claims that the case against him is politically motivated.
“This type of activity is part of the mechanism of hybrid aggression against the Republic of Moldova“, said the director of the Moldovan Security and Intelligence Service, Alexandru Musteata.
Political stake before the elections
The Moldovan government, which has set itself the goal of becoming a member of the European Union by 2030, has repeatedly accused Russia of interference and destabilization. The country will hold parliamentary elections in the fall, which will be a test of the government's pro-European policies.
Tensions intensified even more last Tuesday when Moldovan authorities arrested Evgenia Gutul – pro-Russian governor of the autonomous region of Gagauzia. She was detained on charges of illegal political financing while trying to leave the country. Gutul denies the charges, calling them a political attack.
The court ordered her to remain in custody for at least 30 days. At the same time, another pro-Russian MP, Irina Lozovan, also accused of illegal financing, is missing. She, like the others, describes the case against her as political repression.
The upcoming elections will show how much Moldovan society supports the government's European course and how Russia will continue to influence the country's domestic politics.