MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. The confrontation between Russia and Moldova is backed by Western countries that have full control over the government in Chisinau, Ilan Shor, the leader of Moldova’s opposition party Shor, said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel on Friday.

"Western regimes have put a person in Moldova who has clear tasks, and one of them is to quarrel with Russia. [President] Maia Sandu performed it perfectly. Now the people of the Republic of Moldova have to pay for these decisions out of their own pockets: to pay for gas five times more, for electricity. It's not fair," Shore said.

"There is nothing behind the words ‘European integration’ except that Moldova is a captured state. To make it clear: This is the first time this has happened in the history of our country, when the ambassadors of Western countries tell the Moldovan ministers what to do and how to behave. And the ministers are accountable not to the country's leadership, but to the ambassadors. In Chisinau, this is not a secret to anyone," the politician said.

Shor is one of the main organizers of the protests that have been taking place in Moldova since last summer. Protesters have accused the authorities of failing to overcome the economic crisis and falling living standards, demanding early parliamentary elections.

The Moldovan parliament is controlled by the pro-European Action and Solidarity Party. President Maia Sandu accused Russia of plotting a coup in the republic and advocated granting additional powers to the special services and other law enforcement agencies. Opposition TV channels have been banned in the country, and dozens of anti-government activists have been arrested. Criminal cases have been opened against the leaders of the Party of Socialists and the Shor Party.