The key facts
- Moldova intends to ban Vadim Krasnoselsky from leaving the country for five years after he was presented with the Order of Honor at the Kremlin on November 4.
- Dmitry Peskov called such measures 'the worst practice of the Soviet Union'.
- Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan did not rule out extending the restrictions to other Transnistrian officials.
The Kremlin's reaction to Chisinau's decision
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov criticized the Moldovan authorities' intention to restrict the movement of Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky. as cited by Life.ru.
The reason: the Order of Honor at the Kremlin
The conflict arose after Krasnoselsky's visit to Moscow: on November 4, Vladimir Putin presented the Transnistrian leader with the Order of Honor. Chisinau viewed the award as a provocation by Russia aimed against Moldova's European integration. The Bureau for Reintegration under the Moldovan government announced that after Krasnoselsky's return, restrictive measures would be applied to him, including a five-year ban on leaving the country. Moldovan authorities also linked the trip to negotiations on natural gas supplies to Transnistria for the winter period with the OSCE's assistance.
The restrictions may also affect other officials
Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan supported the measures, saying that Chisinau must respond to the actions of representatives of the unrecognized republic. According to him, the ban may also extend to other Transnistrian officials if their foreign trips are deemed contrary to Moldova's interests. As Life.ru notes, Chisinau has already threatened to restrict travel for other Transnistrian representatives for five years as well: the Moldovan side explains this by security considerations, while Moscow opposes the restrictions.
