Russia’s Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Vasnetsov said the so-called scandal about espionage is only a reason for reducing the staff of the diplomatic mission. When going out of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, he said the so-called scandal is only a pretext for arguing the decision to decrease the number of Embassy’s employees. He noted that this decision was communicated to him today. “We hope the officials who take such decisions realize what impact these can have at bilateral level,” stated the diplomat, being quoted by IPN.
“The so-called scandal about espionage is only a motive for the decision that was taken long ago, namely to reduce the number of employees of the Embassy. We were told about this today. From our viewpoint, this fact very seriously affects the possibility of a dialogue between the two countries. This decision is not in the spirit of countries that are friendly towards us,” Oleg Vasnetsov told the press.
According to him, the decision was probably anticipated, but the Russian side didn’t expect that the authorities in Chisinau will officially take such radical measures so swiftly. He voiced hope that those who take such decisions realize the possible consequences at bilateral level.
The Russian Federation’s Ambassador in Chisinau was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI) for providing explanations over Russia’s espionage activities in the Republic of Moldova A journalistic investigation conducted by Jurnal TV and The Insider shows that the number of antennas and broadcast devices on the rood of Russia’s Embassy in Chisinau rises annually, as does the number of mysterious persons who appear there on a constant basis.
The Ministry said that any espionage activity and foreign interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Moldova are absolutely unacceptable and are treated as direct defiance of sovereignty and national security. “Depending on the subsequent developments, the authorities of the Republic of Moldova will analyze a number of reaction options,” noted the institution.
