Relationships between Moldova and Russia deteriorate over…

Relationships between Moldova and Russia deteriorate over the Transnistrian conflict.

During the 2005 parliamentary elections the Russian Federation tries to influence the election process by intensively favorable coverage of pro-Russian candidates in the Russian mass media and by organizing meetings and agitation campaigns using the Russian CIS-EMO organization (“Elections Monitoring Organization”), which is not recognized internationally as an independent election observer and which had a poor record in the previous Kyrgyzstan election.

As a response to the security threat, Moldovan authorities denied entry to the Republic of Moldova for the members of the CIS-EMO organization.

Some who nonetheless made their way into the Republic were found distributing leaflets and actively participating in the election campaign, despite not having a valid Moldovan passport or any proof of Moldovan citizenship or any permission from the election authority.

These members were consequently deported from the country.

This action angered the Russian side.

As a consequence, Russian-Moldovan ties greatly weakened, and the nation is split between building ties with the West or with Russia.

In the 2005 elections, the Communist party changes course and President Vorodin wins re-election to a second term.