Russia is not interested in a military invasion of Moldova. Moscow will try to influence the territory between the Prut and the Nistru Rivers through the agency of obedient governments that hope to be installed in Chisinau, said ex-minister of defense Vitalie Marinuța. According to him, Russia will hit the Republic of Moldova economically and in the energy sector so as to obtain the replacement of the government, IPN reports.

According to the former minister of defense, Russia will try to regain its influence in Moldova through the agency of antigovernment parties. The pro-Russian forces will politically capitalize on the poverty of people so as to upset Moldova’s European integration plans.

“All the parties, including small parties, and all the criminal groups stepped up action in our country. The goal is to have more mayors of these parties that are for reconciliation with Moscow and for cheaper gas as a result of the local elections. Later, the same goal will be pursued in the presidential and parliamentary elections. Due to poverty, the people support some of the parties and these have the chance to enter Parliament. This is the main stake of the Russian Federation. From military viewpoint, Russia does not need to invade the Republic of Moldova. Militarily, they will not attack us directly. They will use economic leverage, the natural gas war, the ban on imports,” Vitalie Marinuța stated in the program “Reflection Points” on Vocea Basarabiei station.

According to the ex-minister, the government in Moldova should renounce the neutrality status as this hinders the country’s development and should agree another format of negotiations on the Transnistrian conflict with the foreign partners.

“The settlement of the Transnistrian conflict can be hastened by the war in Ukraine, depending on the actions of Ukraine. But the Republic of Moldova should also take steps in this direction. We must forget about the neutrality concept as this is noxious for our development. The 5+2 format should also be forgotten as it has never been efficient. If this format is kept, the two parties should be the Russian Federation and the Republic of Moldova, not representatives of Moscow in Tiraspol, and Romania should be among the five,” said Vitalie Marinuța.

Currently, the 5+2 format of the Transnistrian settlement process includes Chisinau and Tiraspol as the conflicting parties, the OSCE, Russia and Ukraine as mediators and the EU and the U.S. as observers.