The machinations inside of the Moldovan government between the pro-Russian and pro-EU factions has grown intense as of late. Moldova has accused Moscow of abusing and intimidating its officials who are investigating a massive theft of billions of dollars from the Moldovan treasury, a crime that intentionally paved the way for a pro-Russian leadership to take power and alter the national security leanings of the former Soviet state.
Twenty percent of the tiny country’s treasury, the poorest country in Europe, made its way to Russia claim the investigators. They believe it was an operation run out of Moscow to bring down the pro-EU government.
The new President, Igor Dodon, who is without power in the Moldovan governmental system, traveled to Moscow immediately upon election to meet with Vladimir Putin. Since that time, Moldova has recalled its ambassador to Moscow and issued travel warnings for Moldovan government officials. Moscow, for its part, said it was ‘surprised’ at the decision, as the former ambassador was a ‘respected statesman.’
Now it seems President Dodon is traveling again to Moscow to meet with Putin at the Kremlin, against the advice of the Prime Minister’s executive branch. “I shall continue trips to Moscow and will promote interests of my country, work on improving of the strategic partnership with the Russian Federation,” Dodon said.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin next week (of March 13) will have negotiations with Moldova’s President Igor Dodon, press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Saturday. “Yes, preparations for the visit are under way,” the Kremlin’s spokesman said, reports Russian state news agency TASS.
Russian Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin was quoted Friday by the Tass news agency as saying the allegations “raise a lot of questions” and “we have to … see the facts and only after that can we seriously discuss this problem.”
Karasin will also visit Moldovan officials in the capital Chisinau next week as well as the Russian-controlled breakaway region of Transdniester.
