Russia expels five Moldovan diplomats
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared five Moldovan diplomats in Moscow persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country within three days, as reported on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.
On Wednesday, May 31st, the ministry summoned the minister-counselor of the Moldovan Embassy in Russia, Nikolae Miinea, and informed him that Moscow requires that five diplomats leave the country.
“Russia expresses hope that those in Chisinau realize the counterproductive nature of their unfriendly actions towards the Russian Federation and the destructive nature of the step taken by Moldova that runs counter to the principles of partnership and mutual trust,” the press release stated.
By such actions, the Foreign Ministry responded to the actions of the Moldovan authorities, who on May 29th declared five Russian diplomats persona non grata and ordered them to leave Moldova within 24 hours.
The Prime Minister of the Republic Pavel Filip later explained that Moldova had expelled the diplomats on the basis of information received from intelligence agents. “That's all I can say at this time. I cannot report all the reasons that were provided by intelligence agents,” he said, and did not mention any of the names of the Russian diplomats who were being expelled.
Moldovan President Igor Dodon then denounced the deportation of Russian diplomats, calling the decision of the government of the republic “outrageous” and directed “against the actions of the head of state to restore relations with Russia.” On his Facebook page, he stated that he would demand a report from the Foreign Ministers and the Information and Security Service, which signed the expulsion decrees.
In comments to the RIA Novosti news agency, the Moldovan president expressed his hope that Russia would not respond with measures of an economic and social nature.