CHISINAU, June 1. /TASS/. Five Russian diplomats declared persona non grata in Moldova will leave the country on Thursday, Russia’s Ambassador to Moldova Farit Mukhametshin said on Thursday.
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"Five Russian diplomats who were declared persona non grata will leave the country’s territory today. Thus, they are complying with the demand of the Moldovan authorities," the ambassador said.
Russia’s embassy in Moldova received a note on Monday about declaring five Russian diplomats persona non grata in the country. As Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip said, the decision was made on the basis of information received from special services.
Meanwhile, Moldova’s President Igor Dodon called the decisions and moves by the Moldovan government and the parliamentary majority irresponsible. In his opinion, the ruling pro-European coalition in Moldova made these steps "not in the interests of its people but proceeding from the geopolitical interests of Western curators."
Russia’s Foreign Ministry reported on Wednesday that Russia had expelled five Moldovan diplomats as a retaliation measure. They will have to leave Russia until June 3.