A planned Russian election operation has triggered a sharp response from Chisinau, exposing fresh tensions over the breakaway region’s status.
Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to Russia’s intention to organize voting for the Russian State Duma in unrecognized Transnistria. The ministry stated that opening an additional 16 polling stations without the authorization of Moldova’s constitutional authorities is unacceptable.
This is reported by the media outlet NewsMaker.
The Moldovan Foreign Ministry’s statement followed remarks by Vadim Krasnoselsky, the leader of the unrecognized region, who announced plans to open a total of 17 polling stations in Transnistria for the Russian elections.
The ministry emphasized that Moldova does not object to foreign citizens’ right to vote in elections in their own countries. At the same time, such procedures on the country’s territory must take place only with prior approval from the constitutional authorities in Chisinau and with respect for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Russia agreed with Chisinau on only one polling station
Moldova’s Foreign Ministry clarified that the Russian Embassy had received permission to open only one polling station – in Chisinau. The central authorities did not approve the plan to establish another 16 voting locations in the Transnistrian region.
The ministry believes that organizing Russian polling stations in Transnistria without the appropriate authorization violates Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Position of Moldova’s Reintegration Bureau
Moldova’s Reintegration Bureau also stated that opening polling stations without the consent of the constitutional authorities is illegal. According to Vadim Krasnoselsky, around 220,000 Russian citizens live in unrecognized Transnistria.
Thus, Chisinau recognizes only voting at one polling station in Moldova’s capital as agreed upon, while the country’s authorities reject Russia’s plans for an additional 16 polling stations in Transnistria.