UPDATED: Moldovan government quits amid economic turmoil, tension with Russia

• Moldovan government resigns, economy in turmoil
• Tensions with Russia fuelled by was in Ukraine
• President to hold consultations on next prime minister

By Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU, Feb 10 (Reuters) – Moldova’s pro-Western government resigned on Friday after a turbulent 18 months in power marked by economic turmoil and the spillover effects of Russia’s war in neighbouring Ukraine.

In the latest tensions with Moscow over the war, the government said shortly before Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita announced her resignation that a Russian missile had violated Moldovan airspace, and summoned Russia’s ambassador to protest.

President Maia Sandu accepted Gavrilita’s decision and said she would consult with parliamentary groups on nominating a new prime minister. She gave no sign of abandoning her pro-Western policies that include seeking European Union accession.

“Thank you so much for your enormous sacrifice and efforts to lead the country in a time of so many crises,” Sandu wrote on Facebook.

“In spite of unprecedented challenges, the country was governed responsibly, with a lot of attention and dedicated work. We have stability, peace and development – where others wanted war and bankruptcy.”

The former Soviet republic of 2.5 million has suffered from soaring inflation and was strained last year by an influx of Ukrainian refugees.

It has also suffered power cuts following Russian air attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and has struggled to break its dependence on Russian gas.

The steep price increases, particularly for Russian gas, led to street protests last year in which demonstrators called for the government and Sandu to resign.

The protests, organised by the party of exiled opposition politician Ilan Shor, marked the most serious political challenge to Sandu since her landslide election win in 2020 on a pro-European and anti-corruption platform.

Chisinau has described the protests as part of a Kremlin-sponsored campaign to destabilise the government.

“I believe in the Moldovan people. I believe in Moldova,” Gavrilita told a news briefing at which she announced her government was stepping aside. “I believe that we will be able to make it through all the difficulties and challenges.”

JOIN TO DRIVE THE EU

Gavrilita became prime minister in August 2021 after her pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity secured a majority in parliament with a mandate to clean up corruption.

EU leaders accepted Moldova as a membership candidate last year in a diplomatic triumph for Sandu. The government had been mapping out reforms to accelerate accession to the 27-nation bloc and working on diversifying its energy supply.

Russia, which has troops in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transdniestria, has bristled at the possibility of former Soviet republics joining the EU, and Moldova’s intelligence service confirmed allegations by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday that Russia has acted to destabilise Moldova.

The Moldovan foreign ministry criticised Moscow strongly after summoning its ambassador over the Russian missile which it said had flown through Moldovan airspace before entering Ukraine on Friday.

“We resolutely reject the latest unfriendly actions and statements against Moldova, which is absolutely unacceptable for our people,” the ministry said in a statement.

“We call on the Russian Federation to stop military aggression against a neighbouring country, leading to numerous human casualties and material damage.”

Photo – Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita . EPA-EFE/DUMITRU DORU