MOSCOW, October 10. /TASS/. Moldovan President Igor Dodon has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to support his country’s bid to get an observer status in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
"I have asked the Russian president to support the application of the Republic of Moldova to get an observer status at the Eurasian Economic Union," Dodon wrote on Facebook after talks with the Russian leader. He also said he was sincerely interested in continuing cooperation with Russia within the framework of the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independents States and other international organizations.
"I am confident that our relations with Russia - the main strategic partner of Moldova - will keep growing despite the difficulties put in the way to this," Dodon wrote. He noted that not all among the Moldovan political elite appreciated his policy towards improving bilateral relations and developing strategic partnership.
"The government and the parliamentary majority controlled by Western states are trying in every way to undermine relations between our countries," Dodon said.
"I have stated that I resolutely condemn any anti-Russian manifestations in the activity of the Moldovan authorities, such as deportations from Moldova of Russian officials, journalists and artists, anti-Russian propaganda in state media," he went on. "I have assured the Russian president that I won’t sign any anti-Russian law even if the parliamentary majority votes for it repeatedly. This, in particular, concerns the bill seeking a ban on broadcasting of Russian news and analytical programs on the Moldovan territory," the president stressed.
He also said he had requested "to expand the list of Moldovan enterprises that will get an access to the Russian market and to grant migration amnesty to the Moldovan nationals whose violations fall under Article 27 of the Federal Law 114 (on procedures of entering and leaving the Russian Federation)".
In earlier developments, the Moldavan authorities deported a Russian delegation heading for Transnistria, which particularly comprised President of the Russian Military Expert Board Major General Alexander Vladimirov. In August, Moldova declared persona non grata Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is also Russian President’s Special Representative for Transnistria and a co-chair of the Russian-Moldovan intergovernmental commission. Moldova’s authorities barred representatives of the media, including NTV, REN TV, Life News and others, from entering the country as they were planning to participate in events devoted to the 25th anniversary of the peacekeeping operation in Transnistria.