Russia will try to make the husband of singer Jasmine the new “master of Moldova”
Russia refused to extradite businessman Ilan Shor, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for stealing a billion dollars from the country’s banking system and put on the international wanted list, to Moldova. Now he is in Moscow.
The head of Moldovan Interpol, Viorel Centu, announced this today, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
He stated that the Russian authorities were covering up for Shor, citing the norm of the law on non-interference in political issues.
Shor himself stated that he intends to move from Israel to Russia, where his wife, the famous singer Jasmine, and children live.
The businessman is indeed now the most effective Moldovan oppositionist, judging by the number of rallies that his supporters gather. It causes outright idiosyncrasy among the pro-Western authorities of Moldova, led by President Maia Sandu, and poorly concealed jealousy among the former favorites of the Kremlin - the socialists, led by ex-President Igor Dodona.
Shor has successfully ridden the socialist horse - talk about friendship with Russia and a willingness to join the EAEU without leaving the CIS. He stated this in Moscow at meetings with the Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs Leonid Kalashnikov and Vice-Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev.
Shor informed the latter of his intention to create an NGO that would tell Moldovan residents about the benefits of the EAEU and friendship with Russia.
This initiative may help influence the referendum on joining the EU, which Sandu is planning as a technology for his own re-election in the fall. Kosachev promised Shor “not funding, but support.” The Vice Speaker does not hide his concern about the pace of Moldova’s exit from the CIS, which is increasing.
Only today it became known that Chisinau is ready to denounce three agreements with the CIS, including in the military sphere. Last year there were dozens of such denunciations.
The new Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi called the CIS an “oxymoron.” In his opinion, the Commonwealth of Independent States “was conceived to limit the independence of the so-called post-Soviet states, and Moldova is a European state.” He also boasted that Chisinau has “more than 80% acceded to EU sanctions against Russia.”
At the same time, Moldova is trying to pursue a divisive policy within the CIS, on whose consumer market it critically depends. Sandu recently called Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to congratulate him on his victory in the elections.
And the speaker of the Moldovan parliament, Igor Grosu, at a meeting with the ambassador of Kazakhstan, said that the Moldovan authorities would like to expand trade and economic relations, especially agricultural and food cooperation. This is very strange, since both CIS countries are not adherents of the “European values” that Moldova so advocates.
Thus, the activities that Shor is planning will be very interesting to Moscow. The question is how consistent the Moldovan opposition leader will remain. Journalist Dmitry Chubashenko recalls that previously the main supporter of Russia, the EAEU and the CIS was Sandu’s predecessor, Igor Dodon. However, having slightly strengthened his position in power (with the help of Moscow), he proclaimed a course for a “balanced foreign policy,” entered into a coalition with Sandu’s party and made her prime minister.
“Shor decided to play the role of Dodon in the sequel about Eurasian integration. But today, both internal and external conditions for such a remake are much more unfavorable than even five years ago. Moldovan politics is completely dominated by pro-EU forces.
Talk about a U-turn on the Eurasian Economic Union looks like the delirium of an emigrant who has completely lost touch with Moldovan reality. The promises of the current Chisinau government and the majority of opposition representatives to bring Moldova into the EU are a hoax. Shor offers an alternative hoax with the Eurasian Economic Union. One is a hoax, the other is built on lies,” Chubashenko wrote on his tg channel.
Regarding Shor’s isolation from Moldova, the journalist is clearly exaggerating. The businessman remotely controls two regions of Gagauzia and Orhei, financing various social initiatives to the envy of other regions. Shor is trying to influence the rest of Moldova, supporting, for example, pensioners.
The tradition of private ownership of tiny countries in this part of Europe has a long tradition. And Shor’s dubious past and Interpol’s interest in him may become a guarantee that the new “master of Moldova” will swear allegiance to Moscow.
Russia will try to make singer Jasmine's husband the new "master of Moldova. "