CHISINAU, February 3. /TASS/. Marina Tauber, Executive Committee Secretary of Moldova's Victory opposition bloc, dismissed local media reports that Norwegian MP Arild Hermstad had nominated President Maia Sandu for the Nobel Peace Prize as a farce.
"Mr. Hermstad has apparently decided to try his hand at comedy. It’s strange to talk about peacemaking when Moldova, under Sandu’s leadership, is abandoning its neutrality, increasing its military budget, signing military cooperation agreements, and receiving tens of millions of euros in military aid. That’s how expensive peace turns out to be," Tauber wrote on her Telegram channel. She also criticized the severe crisis into which Sandu and her ruling Action and Solidarity Party have plunged Moldova, highlighting the pressure on opposition forces and the media.
"The praise for her achievements in defending democracy and the trite reference to the ‘hand of the Kremlin’ sound particularly absurd. Behind these slogans, we see pressure on the opposition, politicization of the judiciary, suppression of the media, and growing poverty. But European democracy does not notice these realities," Tauber stressed. She suggested that the Norwegian MP’s statement was "written by Sandu’s press service." "It’s understandable: the poor things are ready to do anything to portray their boss in the best light. It’s a pathetic farce, that’s all!" she added.
Since Maia Sandu came to power, Moldova has faced a severe economic crisis amid her push to break ties with Russia and the CIS while seeking EU integration. In 2021, gas prices rose sevenfold, pushing inflation above 30% on an annualized basis and triggering protests. Authorities accused the opposition of attempting a coup, dispersed demonstrations, and expanded the powers of special services and law enforcement. Opposition TV channels were banned, dozens of activists detained, and criminal cases opened against opposition party leaders, some of which were later banned.
Earlier, Norwegian MP and Green Party leader Arild Hermstad announced that he had initiated proceedings to nominate Maia Sandu for the Nobel Peace Prize.