Latest news with #Chisinau
Russia Today
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Moldovan Orthodox bishop blocked from religious trip again
Chisinau is conducting a systematic crackdown on the Moldovan Orthodox Church, a senior cleric claimed on Friday after being detained and prevented from traveling abroad. Bishop Marchel previously made headlines in April when he was barred from boarding a flight to Jerusalem for the Orthodox Easter 'Holy Fire' ceremony – a move by the nation's pro-Western government that drew international criticism. The Orthodox bishop said he was stopped at Chisinau International Airport and subjected to a search, causing him to miss his flight ahead of a planned pilgrimage to a religious site in Türkiye. Speaking to Sputnik Moldova, Bishop Marchel described the search as 'humiliating' and said that he had repeatedly requested the presence of his lawyer, whom he had hired in advance in anticipation of possible trouble. However, border police proceeded without his legal representation, the cleric said, and he was only released after his flight had already departed. Bishop Marchel said the incident was part of a broader campaign by the country's government targeting the Moldovan Orthodox Church. 'I classify this as mass persecution, mass oppression of the Moldovan Orthodox clergy. Hundreds of clergymen and simple believers who made pilgrimages to holy places in Russia have been fined,' he said in a comment to RT. 'This is simply because we are an integral part of Russian Orthodoxy,' the cleric said. In April, Chisinau's apparent move to prevent Bishop Marchel's pilgrimage to Jerusalem drew international criticism and condemnation by Moldova's political opposition, as well as by the Russian Orthodox Church. The UN Human Rights council has opened an inquiry into the incident. In recent years, Moldova has seen religious tensions involving two major Orthodox factions: the Moldovan Orthodox Church, affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Metropolis of Bessarabia. The latter is under the Romanian Orthodox Church, which is being backed by the pro-EU authorities in Chisinau. Critics have repeatedly accused President Maia Sandu's government of pressuring the Moscow-linked church to shift allegiance to Romania. Moldova, a former Soviet republic, has sought EU and NATO membership since 2020, when Sandu – an outspoken critic of Russia – came to power. Her pro-Western policies have faced growing criticism domestically, particularly over the country's economic trajectory and handling of dissent. Sandu has defended her actions as part of a broader effort to counter alleged pro-Russian influence, launching crackdowns on opposition parties and media outlets that she describes as criminal entities.
Russia Today
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Presidential frontrunner accuses EU candidate of vote rigging
Romanian presidential candidate George Simion has accused the pro-EU government in neighboring Moldova of attempting to rig Sunday's runoff vote. The Euroskeptic leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) came in first in the initial round of the presidential election rerun on May 4, securing more than 40% of the vote. Around 30% of Moldova's population are dual Moldovan-Romanian citizens. Simion's supporters argue that early turnout among Romanians voting in Moldova is suspiciously high – nearly three times the level recorded during the same period in the first round. 'Enough campaigning – now we have to stop the massive fraud! The government in Moldova has started stealing votes. We won't let them!' Simion wrote on Facebook on Friday. The AUR claims that Moldova's ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) has been directing voters to support Simion's opponent, Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan. 'By 1 p.m., over 50,000 votes had been cast by the diaspora – an increase of almost 70% compared to the first round. These figures are no coincidence,' the party wrote on its website. The AUR also accused Moldova's Pro TV Chisinau of waging 'an illegal and partisan campaign in favor of the establishment candidate' and of voter manipulation 'under the guise of independent journalism.' Chisinau has denied having any interference in the election. 'Out of respect for the voters, we urge all political actors to refrain from making accusations that only serve to undermine this democratic exercise,' government spokesman Daniel Voda said. He encouraged Romanian nationals living in Moldova to cast their ballots 'without fear.' The election rerun was ordered after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the results of the November vote, in which independent right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu came in first with 23%. The authorities cited 'irregularities' in his campaign, along with intelligence reports alleging Russian interference – which Moscow has denied. Simion condemned the annulment of the 2024 election results as a 'coup d'état.' He is currently banned from entering Moldova, which he has called 'an artificial country' which 'will never join the European Union.'
Russia Today
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Presidential frontrunner accuses EU accession candidate of vote rigging
Romania's Eurosceptic presidential candidate George Simion has accused the pro-EU government in neighboring Moldova of attempting to rig Sunday's runoff vote. The leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) came in first in the initial round of the presidential election rerun on May 4, securing more than 40% of the vote. Roughly 30% of Moldova's population are dual Moldovan-Romanian citizens. Simion's supporters argue that early turnout among Romanians voting in Moldova is suspiciously high – nearly three times the level recorded during the same period in the first round. 'Enough campaigning – now we have to stop the massive fraud! The government in Moldova has started stealing votes. We won't let them!' Simion wrote on Facebook on Friday. The AUR has claimed that Moldova's ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) has been directing voters to support Simion's opponent, Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan. 'By 1 p.m., over 50,000 votes had been cast by the diaspora – an increase of almost 70% compared to the first round. These figures are no coincidence,' the party wrote on its website. The AUR also accused Moldova's broadcaster Pro TV Chisinau of waging 'an illegal and partisan campaign in favor of the establishment candidate' and of voter manipulation 'under the guise of independent journalism.' Chisinau has denied any interference in Romania's election. 'Out of respect for the voters, we urge all political actors to refrain from making accusations that only serve to undermine this democratic exercise,' government spokesman Daniel Voda said. He encouraged Romanian nationals living in Moldova to cast their ballots 'without fear.' The election rerun was ordered after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the results of the November vote, in which independent right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu came first with 23%. Authorities cited 'irregularities' in his campaign, along with intelligence reports alleging Russian interference – claims Moscow has strongly denied. Simion condemned the annulment of the 2024 election results as a 'coup d'état.' He is currently banned from entering Moldova, which he has called 'an artificial country' that 'will never join the European Union.'
Russia Today
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Moldovan leader promises to join EU by 2028
Moldova's President Maia Sandu has said her country could join the EU by 2028, despite growing opposition to her pro-Western policy. The former Soviet republic has pursued EU and NATO membership since 2020, when Sandu, a vocal critic of Russia, came to power. Moldova was granted EU candidate status in 2022, alongside Ukraine. Re-elected last year in a contested and much debated runoff, Sandu has stepped up efforts to speed up the accession process. Asked during an interview on Monday with local broadcaster TV8 about the timeline, Sandu said she intended to conclude negotiations by the end of 2027. 'By 2028, we expect every EU member state to have ratified our agreements. That way we will complete the process by the end of the current European Commission's mandate,' Sandu said. The Commission's mandate, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, runs from December 2024 to December 2029. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said last month that Moldova's accession by 2028 depends on the pace of the country's reforms and unanimous support from the bloc's 27 members. Sandu's policy has drawn mounting criticism at home. This month, thousands of protesters rallied in the capital Chisinau over the country's economic direction and her government's handling of opposition voices. The demonstration, led by the Party of Socialists and its leader, former President Igor Dodon, was billed as the start of their parliamentary election campaign ahead of a vote expected in September. Sandu has said the upcoming elections will be decisive for Moldova's EU course. The Socialists, who refused to recognize Sandu's re-election, accused her government last month of 'an unprecedented act of spiritual terror' after a senior Moldovan Orthodox Church bishop was barred from traveling to Jerusalem for Easter. The Sandu administration has also been embroiled in longstanding political standoff with the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Her government, driven by a strong pro-European and anti-Russian vision, reportedly sees Gagauzia not just as an ideological outlier, but as a strategic challenge. The region's governor, Yevgenia Gutsul – a fierce critic of Sandu – was arrested in April amid an investigation into alleged irregularities in her 2023 campaign. Gutsul accused Chisinau of targeting Gagauzia in retaliation for its support of opposition figures, including herself. Opposition described Gutsul's arrest as a 'purely political persecution.' Sandu had claimed she was fighting against 'pro-Russian' actors within the country as she launched a crackdown on opposition parties and media outlets, branding them as criminals.
