Moldova Expels Russian Diplomat after Parliament Searches

The Moldovan Foreign Ministry has summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov, saying that one of the Russian embassy's employees has been declared persona non grata.

This was reported by the country's Foreign Ministry.

The ministry explained that the decision to expel him was made after it collected information and evidence that the Russian diplomat had been carrying out activities incompatible with his diplomatic status in Moldova.

This happened after the detention of two people in a treason case following searches in the parliament.

One of the detainees, according to media reports, is the head of the parliament's legal department, Ion Creanga. He was allegedly caught red-handed while passing information to the Russian Embassy in Chisinau.

"We perceive all these actions as very unfriendly," the Russian ambassador told reporters after being summoned to the Foreign Ministry, Newsmaker reports.

When asked whether he was aware that the embassy employee had received information from Moldovan officials, Vasnetsov replied: "We have a small number of diplomats left in the embassy... the investigation is still ongoing, as you know... It is very strange that the declaration of persona non grata is taking place at a time when the evidence has not yet been collected."

Asked whether Russia would react to Chisinau's decision, he replied: "You know that Russia always finds answers. There will definitely be a response."

Earlier, it was reported that officers of the Intelligence and Security Service and prosecutors of the Main Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Moldova conducted a search in the country's parliament in the case of high treason.