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Russia Moldova’s strategic partner, says ex-President Dodon

"I believe it to be wrong that President [of Moldova Maia] Sandu has refused to hold meetings with the Russian ambassador in recent years, while Russian diplomats were expelled from the country," Igor Dodon noted

CHISINAU, September 10. /TASS/. Russia is Moldova's strategic partner and a dialogue between Moscow and Chisinau is in the interests of Moldova, former President Igor Dodon told TASS on Tuesday.

"Together with Socialist Party lawmakers we held a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Vasnetsov after his mandate expired," Dodon, who is the leader of the Moldovan Socialist Party, said in an interview with TASS after his meeting with Vasnetsov.

"We have exchanged opinions regarding the situation in Moldova and in the region on the whole, thanked the head of the [Russia] diplomatic mission for his cooperation and wished him success in all his future endeavors," he continued. "Russia is our strategic partner and it is in our interests to continue maintaining an effective dialogue in all spheres for the benefit of both countries."

"I believe it to be wrong that President [of Moldova Maia] Sandu has refused to hold meetings with the Russian ambassador in recent years, while Russian diplomats were expelled from the country," Dodon noted. "First of all, this hurts the interests of our country, our citizens, who suffer more and more from the anti-Russian policy of the president and its ruling party."

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed to rotate Russia’s ambassador to Moldova. By his decrees, which were posted on the official web portal of legal information, Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov was relieved of his duties and Oleg Ozerov was appointed Russia’s new ambassador to that country. Vasnetsov has served as the Russian ambassador to Chisinau since 2018.

Before succeeding Vasnetsov, Ozerov, born in 1958, had served as the ambassador at large and chief of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Secretariat.