The Moldovan president warns of plans for violent riots and even the taking of hostages in the country, but “the Kremlin’s plan will not work”.
In a televised address on Monday, the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, expressly warned the population against further attempts to disrupt the political situation in the country. The pro-European president has officially confirmed a Russian plan to destroy the democratic order in her country, mentioned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week.
The first attempts of this type had already been made in the autumn in the context of the serious energy crisis in the country, but now the “new plans made available by Russia, provided by Ukrainian partners” provide for “mercenaries disguised as civilians” to enter Moldova for “” disturbances violence” against the authorities and even taking hostages, explained Sandu.
Mercenaries and oligarchs as central figures
The plan, intercepted by Ukrainian secret services and confirmed by Ukrainian intelligence services, contains, among other things, information on entry rules applicable to Moldova for Russian, Belarusian, Serb and Montenegrin citizens, as well as relevant instructions. The de facto aim of the plan is for the mercenaries who arrived to carry out a “change of power” in Moldova with the support of “internal groups” around the two fugitive Moldovan oligarchs Ilan Shor and Vlad Plahotniuc and some war veterans.
Documents intercepted by Ukrainian partners would show “good on-site documentation, including targeted locations” and adequate logistical preparations, according to Sandu. However, the Moldovan authorities are determined to maintain control of the situation in the country, underlined the President. She therefore assures all citizens that the Kremlin’s plan to “bring violence to our country” will not work, Sandu continued.
new government
President Sandu only gave her former security adviser, Dorin Recean, the government mandate on Friday afternoon, after brief consultations with parliamentary groups. At a press conference, Sandu also emphasized the priorities of the new executive – he must guarantee and optimize Moldova’s security and keep the country “in the free world”.
In addition, it is necessary to carry out the fight against corruption and ensure economic growth, according to the head of state.
(APA)