Arrests of members of Revival Party is government’s response to meeting with Zakharova, statement

26.09.2023 11:07
2011
2 minute(s)

The searches carried out at members and activists of the Revival Party and the arrest of the two MPs Alexandr Nesterovchi and Irina Lozovan are Maia Sandu’s and the PAS’ response to the meeting of the party’s acting chairwoman Natalia Parasca and the spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova, representatives of the party said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

“As you know, last week the parliamentary majority, the PAS group, stripped our mates Alexandr Nesterovschi and Irina Lozovan of parliamentary immunity. Later, Nesterovschi and Lozovan were placed under arrest for 30 days. Yesterday, I and the manager of our electoral staff in Chisinau, Yury Vitneanski, were summoned to the National Anticorruption Center. The discussion with prosecutors didn’t last long and was rather without content. What the prosecutors have are denouncements based on which unsubstantiated suppositions and accusations are made,” said Natalia Parasca.

She noted that in the meeting with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokeswoman, she wasn’t afraid to tell about the fact that the Moldovan authorities impose the European agendas on society, but the idea of integration into the EU loses popularity among the people.

Natalia Parasca said the government’s attacks on the party are due to the fact that they are seen as the main election contenders in the upcoming local general elections.

In the briefing, the representatives of the Revival Party presented a letter addressed to international organizations accredited to Moldova by which the party asks to condemn “the systemic violation of the civil and political rights of the citizens and the intimidation of the opposition in the Republic of Moldova”.

Last week, MPs Irina Lozovan and Alexandr Nesterovschi, who are members of the Revival Party, were stripped of parliamentary immunity. Shortly afterward, they were arrested on suspicion of accepting illegal financing from an organized criminal group led by Ilan Shor. Under a court decision, Nesterovschi will be held at Penitentiary No. 13 on remand for a period of 30 days, while Irina Lozovan was placed under house arrest.