Moldova MPs Accuse Russia of Interference

About 30 of the 101 deputies in Moldova's parliament, from the ruling pro-Western parties, on Wednesday issued a statement accusing Russia of launching "attacks on Moldova's information security and abusive interference in the political life of the country."

The ruling party deputies condemned defamatory declarations by Russian officials towards Moldova, alleged harassment of Moldovan officials, the economic embargo imposed by Moscow on Moldovan goods and "the open engagement of Moscow's politics and even Russian institutions in Moldova's political life."

The statement called on Russia to stop financing political parties in Moldova, noting that such funding from external sources is illegal, as is support lent in other ways.

In Moldova's last presidential election, won by the pro-Russian candidate, Igor Dodon, a journalistic investigation carried out by RISE Moldova showed it had benefited from a million US dollars that came from off-shore companies in the Bahamas, using a proxy company in Moldova owned by a Socialist Party deputy and friend of Dodon's.

The Moldovan document was issued after Russian deputies on Wednesday issued their own statement, accusing Moldova of discrimination against Russian media.

Russian lawmakers urged the UN, the Council of Europe and the OSCE to condemn Moldova's new so-called anti-propaganda law, which targets Russian broadcasts and is aimed at curbing the Kremlin's influence.

The Russian lawmakers urged Russia's leadership to find other ways and methods of enabling Russian journalism to reach Moldova.

Russia and the former Soviet republic are at odds over the pro-Western government's moves to bring the country closer to the European Union - and over the status and future of the breakaway...