Five members of Russia`s embassy in Moldova have been expelled by the Moldovan authorities, Russia`s ambassador in Chisinau told reporters on Monday, without giving further details, Reuters reported.
Earlier, Russia`s Interfax news agency quoted sources in the former Soviet nation`s foreign ministry as saying five Russian diplomats had been ordered to leave the country, according to Reuters.
”Today, the Russian embassy in Chisinau received a note from Moldova`s Foreign Ministry declaring several Russian diplomats persona non grata,” the ministry`s spox Maria Zakharova said.
At the same time, an openly pro-Russian President of Moldova Igor Dodon in his Facebook posting condemned the decision of the country`s diplomats, calling it an ”unfriendly step” against Russia, which he calls Moldova`s ”strategic partner.”
The discord between the move by Moldovan foreign ministry and the president`s statement evidences the substantial division in the country`s political structure regarding the vector of the country`s development. With President Dodon sees Russia as Moldova`s closest partner, both the parliament and the government are mostly pro-European.
