Moldova does not see the risk of military scenarios on the country’s border in the short term, but there are risks of hybrid sabotage and coup d’état. This was announced on February 22 by the head of the Moldovan Foreign Ministry, Nikolai Popescu.
“We do not see the risk of military scenarios in the near future on the Moldovan border, thanks to Ukrainian resistance and resilience. But hybrid subversive actions, an attempted coup – yes, there are risks, ”the newspaper quotes the words of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova. Financial Times.
He also accused the Moldovan oligarch and leader of the opposition Shor party, Ilan Shor, of waging a hybrid war against Chisinau with Moscow’s support.
The day before, on February 21, Popescu said that he had discussed in Brussels the deployment of a civilian EU mission in the republic with a consultative mandate within the EU Common Security and Defense Policy.
The day before, Josep Borrell, head of the EU foreign policy service, noted that the EU Council is studying the possibility of sending a mission to Moldova as part of the common security and defense policy. The purpose of such a mission is to support Moldova as a candidate for EU membership and “increase the republic’s resistance to external interference and destabilizing efforts.”
On February 15, the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, announced that there was no threat of a military invasion of Moldova now. According to the head of state, the republic “owes it to Ukraine” for this.
On February 13, Sandu appealed to parliament with a request to grant the country’s special services greater powers against the backdrop of an alleged threat of destabilization in the republic. According to her, the opposition wants to change the power in the country by armed means, including the seizure of buildings and hostages. Sandu also stated that the Moldovan authorities allegedly confirmed Ukraine’s information about the existence of “Russia’s plan to destabilize the situation in Moldova.”
Prior to that, on February 9, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he was allegedly aware of Moscow’s “plans” to change power in Moldova. And he even informed the President of Moldova about it. In turn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian side has no idea about any plans to destabilize the situation in Moldova.
Since last year, a state of emergency has been in effect in Moldova, announced against the backdrop of problems with a shortage of gas and a sharp rise in the price of energy resources. Since February 4, the state of emergency in the country has been extended for 60 days. On February 19, a large-scale rally was held in Chisinau. The protesters demanded to stop the rise in prices in the country. According to them, tariffs for gas and heating in the republic have increased eight times.
