The Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) announced that it came into possession of data pointing to the intensification of the Russian Federation’s actions aimed at compromising Moldova’s accession to the European Union, thwarting the democratic processes and keeping the Republic of Moldova under its sphere of influence. More specifically, it wants to discredit the referendum on the European integration, but also to undermine the chances of pro-European candidates in the presidential election, while potentiating a candidate directly controlled by the Kremlin regime or with moderate anti-Russian views. Ilan Shor’s group with its sociopolitical extensions is the most important actor on which the Russian Federation relies. It was instructed to provoke radicalisation and violence, with the main task of compromising the results of the referendum. SIS director Alexandru Musteața announced this at a press briefing on Tuesday, IPN reports.
He noted that everything started last year by Russia’s attempt to compromise the local elections, and now the intention is to get involved in this year’s electoral processes. More specifically, they want to compromise the referendum on the European integration, interfere in the presidential election and also denigrate institutions and political candidates that promote the European integration.
“The SIS is sure that the referendum on the European integration will be the target of discreditation in order to decrease voter turnout or compromise the idea of the referendum. According to assessments, Russia banks on the option of “boycott”, the vote against or introduction of an additional question in the referendum in order to mislead citizens and manipulate by creating a false association between the European integration and false accession to military alliances and blocs. In the presidential election of 2024 and the parliamentary elections of 2025, the objective is to undermine the chances of pro-European candidates, while potentiating a candidate directly controlled by the Kremlin regime or with moderate anti-Russian views,” the SIS director said.
According to him, the amplification of radical separatist tendencies in the southern part of the country, especially ATU Gagauzia is another direction. “The Russian Federation relies on the false creation of social division by continuing actions to compromise Chisinau’s efforts to get closer to ATU. Also, the potential of the Transnistrian region will continue to be used in hybrid anti-Chisinau actions in the context of political processes in the Republic of Moldova against the background of invocation of so-called economic pressure,” stated Alexandru Musteața.
“Ilan Shor’s group with its sociopolitical extensions, which was instructed to provoke radicalization and violence, is the most important actor on which the Russian Federation relies. According to data, Ilan Shor in 2024 has the main task of compromising the results of the referendum.”
According to the SIS director, opinion formers with hidden anti-European interests will step up their activities this spring already and will promote an independent candidate to be supported by center-left political forces. Also, in March-April, protests with an accentuated pro-Russian tone will be resume to defend the Eurasian law. Their plan is to turn the protests into violent actions to create chaos and mass destabilization by co-opting people willing to engage in aggressive confrontation with the police force.
Alexandru Musteața said that there are also plans for 2025, namely gaining control over Moldova’s Parliament by pushing political parties under Russian influence into the legislature by supporting political actors who are under the direct or indirect control of Russia and who come to Parliament to serve the interests of the Russian state. These are pro-Russian, pro-state politicians hiding behind neutral politics, but also political actors linked to organized criminal groups led by citizens wanted internationally.
