Moldovan Foreign Ministry expels five Russian diplomats - President 'outraged', calls it 'direct provocation' - UPDATED

RT
Mon, 29 May 2017 19:17 UTC

© Kremlin Pool / Global Look Press

Moldovan President Igor Dodon

Moldovan President Igor Dodon has expressed outrage following the Moldovan Foreign Ministry's decision to expel five Russian diplomats. The president called it a "direct provocation."

"I want to say that I am deeply embarrassed by this unfriendly step [taken] by the Moldovan diplomatic service and [I] condemn it in the strongest possible terms," Dodon wrote in a Facebook post.

The leader also called the decision an "outrageous" move against Moldova's "strategic partner," Russia.

The Moldovan leader went on to say that advocates of closer ties with the EU were apparently "so incensed by the success the president managed to achieve in the recent months that they decided to make a direct provocation," which could result in a "serious deterioration" of bilateral relations with Russia.

Dodon also said that this "provocation" was likely orchestrated by the West, which is concerned by Chisinau and Moscow finally managing to develop a "constructive and effective dialogue."

The president's statement came as the Moldovan Foreign Ministry sent the Russian embassy in Chisinau a note informing it that five Russian diplomats must leave the country within 72 hours.

Moscow has confirmed receiving the note.

"Today, the Russian embassy in Chisinau received a note from the Moldovan Foreign Ministry declaring several Russian diplomats persona non grata," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Zakharova called the situation "paradoxical but also indicative," adding that it has nothing to do with the work of the Russian diplomats but rather reflects Moldova's inner political struggle.

Comment: See also: Escalating tensions: Estonia expels two senior Russian diplomats, Moscow vows to retaliate

Update (May 31): Russia expels 5 Moldovan diplomats after Moldova expelled 5 Russians

According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry,

"In response to the May 29th expulsion of five Russian diplomats from Chisinau, five employees of the Moldovan diplomatic mission in Moscow are declared persona non grata. They need to leave the territory of Russia within three days".

The move by Moldova to expel Russian diplomats was done in suspiciously close timing to Ukraine sealing off the transport of key supplies to the territory of Transnistria, a self-governing entity sandwiched between northern Moldova and south-west Ukraine.