Moldova's Speaker: Russian Special Service Personnel in Transnistria Stationed as "Diplomats"
Igor Grosu, the Chairman of the Parliament of Moldova, has stated that individuals with diplomatic status from Russia, who are located in Transnistria, are engaged in activities beyond diplomacy.
In an interview with Romanian and Moldovan media outlets, Grosu disclosed that the issue of potential expulsion of Russian "diplomats" on the basis of parity is being considered.
"We have sufficient cases where individuals with diplomatic status from the Russian Federation, upon arriving in Chișinău, quickly proceed to the left bank of the Dniester, in Transnistria. And they are engaged there not only in diplomacy. We are aware of this, and they are aware that we are aware. Currently, we will assess the scope of their work here, and make a decision on this matter," clarified Grosu.
Moreover, there are "a group of so-called diplomats in Transnistria who cannot be considered solely as diplomats, as their activities pertain to a completely different field than diplomacy," Grosu added.
The official further mentioned that special filters are applied upon entry to the country for certain individuals and visitors of a specific profile.
Regarding the timeframe for the decision on the expulsion of these Russian "diplomats," Grosu stated, "When we are ready to make that decision, we will announce it publicly and inform our Russian colleagues."
In this context, Grosu referred to the existence of databases containing information on individuals with military backgrounds or involvement in various military conflicts in Syria, Crimea, Donbas, Ukraine, Central Africa, Libya, and other countries. However, he did not provide an exact number of those denied entry into Moldova due to this reason. These figures have increased since the start of the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine.
Previously, Moldova declared the pro-Russian "Shor" party as unconstitutional.
It should be noted that the EU recently imposed sanctions against pro-Russian Moldovan oligarchs due to their involvement in destabilizing Moldova, while also developing a support package for the Republic of Moldova aimed at helping the country overcome the consequences of the Russian war in Ukraine.