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Moldova confirms attempts to undermine its democracy following accusations of Russian interference – JURIST

Moldova’s Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) Thursday confirmed efforts in the country to “undermine” its integrity and to “destabilize and violate public order.” In the SIS press release, the agency was careful to leave the source of the threat unnamed and did not disclose the threat’s specifics, citing risks to ongoing operations.Moldovan authorities received the information from Ukrainian intelligence services. SIS made the threat public after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to the European Council regarding the issue. In his speech, Zelenskyy named Russia as the source of the threat. He said Ukraine had intercepted, “a detailed Russian plan to undermine the political situation in Moldova,” in an attempt to, “establish their control over it.”Zelenskyy added, this behavior is nothing new. Russia is frequently accused of interfering in other countries’ affairs. A 2019 report by the Free Russia Foundation illustrated numerous examples of political, legal and criminal meddling by Russian authorities. However, the threat posed by Russia has special implications for Moldova and Ukraine. The Russian-backed breakaway region of Transnistria occupies the eastern half of Moldova, along the border with Ukraine. Major concerns focus on the establishment of a Russia-friendly government in Moldova. The change in government could result in the further geographic isolation of Ukraine and the opening of another route of attack into eastern Ukraine.Increased efforts to undermine Moldova coincide with the development of increasingly close ties with the EU. Moldova confirmed its EU candidate status in June 2022. Additionally, it has also begun receiving millions in western economic, humanitarian and security aid.
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