The leader of the Party of Regions of Moldova Alexandr Kalinin, who is the president of the Congress of the Moldovan Diaspora in Russia, said that after the so-called migration amnesty for Moldovans who are in Russia announced by President Igor Dodon, a number of Moldovans found themselves unable to return to Russia. The people are told that if they try to enter Russia before the ban imposed on them expires, they will face criminal punishment, including jail terms.
In a news conference at IPN, Alexandr Kalinin said the procedure was announced before the elections so that the people come home and vote. The Moldovans were told that if they stayed longer than allowed, they can come home and will be spared of penalties in the period between January 1 and February 23. But it is not clear when these will be able to return to Russia. It is rumored that on March 1 or on March 15. Alexandr Kalinin noted that in discussions with high-ranking officials of the Russian ministry of the interior, these said that they cannot image how the bans will be lifted.
“In a program yesterday, Igor Dodon called this measure “amnesty”. Mister Dodon, you are right. This is the so-called “amnesty”. Dear friends, each of us is to take an important decision, namely if we are ready to believe a pseudo-President,” stated the leader of the Party of Regions. He noted that according to official reports, the Russian authorities will start to reexamine the files for lifting the bans or imposing milder punishments on February 24. Evidently, most of the questions will appear after March 1. When they leave the Russian Federation, the Moldovans who stayed longer than allowed in Russia are given to sign notifications by which they are informed about the bans on entering Russia and about the fact that they face up to four years in jail if they violate these.
Sergei Pascariuc has worked in Russia sand has there a girlfriend with whom he intends to get married. The young man said on January 31 he returned home from Russia and planned to travel back on February 3. At the border crossing point, he received a document by which he was informed that he cannot enter Russia during two years. He said he asked the border policeman about the announcement of President Igor Dodon and the amnesty law, but this responded that these questions should be put to President Dodon. “I put this question to our President, Igor Nikolayevich Dodon: who should I believe – you or the border police officer?” asked Sergey Pascariuc.
According to Alexandr Kalinin, Igor Dodon is unable to solve such problems. Kalinin called on the Russian authorities in the name of the citizens who want to leave for Russia to make sure all the Moldovans can return to Russia as of March 1, except for those who committed offenses stipulated in the Penal Code. When receiving the migration card, the Moldovans should be given seven days to register with the migration authorities and all the bans imposed on them should be lifted.
