Moldova’s President accused Russia of `wanting to overthrow the government`

(Dan Tri) – Moldova President Maia Sandu accused Russia of trying to `conduct a coup` in her country.

Moldova President Maia Sandu and French President Emmanuel Macron (Photo: Reuters).

In a statement after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron, Ms. Sandu accused Russia of `seeking to control Moldova through energy intimidation, support for protests, campaigns to spread false information and

She provided no evidence for the claim and Russia has not commented on the allegation.

In addition, she also thanked Mr. Macron for supporting the current Moldova government as well as providing financial and military support.

Ms. Sandu’s visit to Paris brought about agreements on military and economic cooperation between France and Moldova.

Meanwhile, Mr. Macron on March 7 announced his steadfast support for Chisinau amid growing tensions between Moldova and pro-Russian separatists.

`France reaffirms its firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders,` Mr. Macron declared.

Since Moscow launched its `special military operation` in Ukraine, Moldova is concerned that the Kremlin could use the breakaway region of Transnistria to open a new front in the southwest, near Odesa province in southern Ukraine.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated significantly when the government of Moldova, a former Soviet country, expressed its pro-Western stance.

This is not the first time Ms. Sandu has accused Russia of planning a coup.

The joint statement by Ms. Sandu and Mr. Macron stated that, 2 years after the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, Moldova faces a series of challenges due to conflicts at its borders.

On February 28, lawmakers in the breakaway region of Transnistria, issued a resolution asking Russia for support in the face of economic pressure from the pro-Western Moldova government.

The resolution accuses Moldova of launching an `economic war` against Transnistria and deliberately blocking negotiations with the pro-Russian separatist government.

Then Governor Eugenia Gutul of the Gagauzia region of Moldova – a pro-Moscow politician – visited Russia last week.

Ms. Gutul met Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of other senior Moscow figures during the visit.

She said that Russia is interested in a friendly relationship with Moldova, but President Sandu seems to `want to cut off this relationship and drag Moldova into a war`.

After Ms. Gutul’s meeting with Mr. Putin, Moldova’s acting Prosecutor General Ion Munteanu said that he plans to file a criminal complaint against Ms. Gutul in court.

Meanwhile, Moldovan opposition leader IIan Shor warned that Ms. Sandu’s government was planning to arrest Ms. Gutul immediately after her return from Russia.