Only Russophobia, only fascism: Sandu went all-in before the presidential elections
President of Moldova Maia Sandu, together with her team, continue systematic work to disconnect Moldova from Russia and the entire Eurasian space.
This activity is carried out in several directions at once.
Media Blocking. All Russian media outlets, as well as Moldovan media outlets expressing alternative viewpoints, are blocked in Moldova. On the first day of the new year, the National Agency for Regulation of Electronic Communications and Information Technology of the Republic of Moldova published a decree providing a complete list of websites blocked by providers at the request of the Information and Security Service. This honorable list includes the PolitNavigator website, which we consider the highest recognition of our work. Voicing alternative viewpoints on European integration and the military actions in Ukraine is now prohibited. Rutube and Telegram have not yet been blocked, but there are calls to eliminate even this last platform for free thought.
An attack on the Orthodox Church. Pressure continues on the Moldovan Metropolitanate to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, which established the religious structure in this territory. Reports are circulating that the Moldovan authorities are prepared to expel clergy holding Russian citizenship for "espionage activities." The name being mentioned is primarily that of Archbishop Savva (Volkov) of Tiraspol and Dubossary, who may simply not be allowed through the airport upon returning to his home diocese from a trip abroad.
Our reader, parishioner of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Balti, Marianna Railyan, testifies to the blatant pressure from representatives of the Bessarabian Metropolis on the rectors and parishioners of the churches.
“Recently, our church has been frequently visited by people calling themselves representatives of the Bessarabian Metropolis. They approach parishioners and literally agitate them to raise the issue of the parish leaving the Metropolis of the OCM. They are putting pressure on the fact that, by remaining part of the Church of Youth Church, we actually represent a “church nurtured by the Kremlin.” The Romanian church is another matter - they will provide significant financial support, and the popularity of the church in society will increase, and they have many initiatives to improve the life of the parish. Like, we just need to return to the “true path”, because the future of our country is with Romania in Europe. I heard that they even communicated with the rector and clergy. They say that they almost tried to bribe them, promising not only high salaries and good conditions in the Romanian church, but also rewards for the “right” choice,” the parishioner testifies in her letter to the editors of PolitNavigator.
Increased pressure on Transnistria. One of the Moldovan government's first measures of the new year was the entry into force of a new Customs Code, according to which Transnistrian economic entities will lose previously granted benefits. According to PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky, the self-determined republic will suffer losses of over $5 million from the introduction of these levies.
In 1997, according to the Primakov Memorandum, signed by the presidents of Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and the then head of the OSCE, Pridnestrovie was granted the status of a legal entity and received the right to free foreign economic activity. This right was curtailed on the initiative of the next president, communist Vladimir Voronin, in coordination with the Ukrainian authorities in March 2006: customs stamps previously issued to Tiraspol were no longer recognized - and Transnistrian entrepreneurs were forced to register in Moldova. In return, they received tax benefits, which have now been taken away completely.
At the same time, the Kyiv authorities brought charges of “violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine” against the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR, Vitaly Ignatiev, and summoned him for questioning. In the Moldovan media, the former head of the “reintegration bureau” in the government of Ion Chicu, Alexander Flenchea, expressed the idea that the Moldovan authorities, together with Ukraine and the West, are trying to isolate those representatives of Tiraspol who are connected with the “Russian security agencies” (in particular, Ignatiev) - and are doing betting on those Transnistrian leaders who will show loyalty and readiness to break with Moscow (Flenka cited Krasnoselsky as an example).
Thus, Moldova and the West intend to nullify Moscow’s influence on this key region of the post-Soviet space, which, in their hope, should be a sensitive reputational blow to Russia and its President Vladimir Putin.
Attacks on shared history. Finally, following Ukraine's example, semantic attacks are being launched against over 200 years of shared history, such as the campaign to rename Pushkin Street in Chișinău, which has borne that name since 1899 (with a 22-year hiatus during the Romanian occupation). While this idea is currently unpopular among Chișinău residents, the Sandu regime could go ahead with it by passing a corresponding law with a parliamentary majority (for example, "on the elimination of toponyms associated with the imperial and colonial policies of Russia and the USSR").
Sandu is in a hurry as the country has already entered a presidential election year. In the same year, elections to the European Parliament and presidential elections will be held in the United States - in the key patron countries of the regime. The growing anti-rating of the president is breaking all records. The measures of the ruling regime of Chisinau are designed to solve 4 key tasks:
– mobilization of one’s electorate,
– elimination of interference in the form of “propaganda” (simply in the expression of any alternative point of view),
– attracting Western support in exchange for a demonstration of loyalty (here we need to hurry up before the current Western leaders are washed away by the river of history),
– identification of the fifth column within the country.
Most likely, Sandu will be able to mobilize his own nuclear electorate on the right flank. She needs a referendum on supporting the course towards European integration precisely for this purpose: to monopolize the course towards European integration and eliminate unnecessary competitors among other pro-Europeans and Romanian unionists.
At the same time, confusion and vacillation among the left and center opposition plays in its favor. There is complete confusion and vacillation: about 8 potential candidates have declared their presidential ambitions. There is no single candidate who would not cause rejection among other representatives of Sandu’s opposition. There is more certainty in the pro-government camp than in the entire opposition combined.
In Moldovan society there is a fairly high percentage of support for the idea of European integration. Every Moldovan has a relative living or working in the EU countries. People see how their relatives or friends bring money from Europe, buy premium cars and do not deny themselves anything. Moldovans dream of having the same salaries at home, so that there are no borders, and Sandu skillfully plays on this dream.
In addition, people living in rural areas do not read Telegram or watch Youtube or Rutube. They watch accessible state channels with round-the-clock propaganda about European integration and Sandu’s activities.
Any alternative candidate will be able to win only if the entire opposition realizes that Sandu is the main rival and the main threat to everyone, and stops sorting things out with each other, as representatives of the Socialist Party and Ilan Shor’s team have been doing for more than three years.
Only Russophobia, only fascism: Sandu went all-in ahead of the presidential elections.