Moldova

Moldovan president’s allies score well in local polls

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) - Voters in Moldova on Sunday returned a large number of town councils friendly towards President Maia Sandu's drive to join the European Union, but…

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Ukraine and Moldova have taken a huge step towards EU membership – but these hazards lie ahead

The European Commission has confirmed its support for opening the formal accession process for Ukraine and Moldova to become members of the European Union and for other nations in the…

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EU executive recommends initiation of accession talks with Moldova

European Union leaders should allow formal talks on Ukraine and Moldova’s accession to the bloc to start once both countries have finalised the necessary reforms, the European Commission has said.…

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UPDATED: Pro-Europe party of Moldova’s president wins local elections, sees setbacks in big cities

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The party of Moldova's pro-European president came first in hundreds of weekend local elections but was unable to win mayoral seats in…

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EU weighs advancing Ukraine’s membership bid as Russia war drags on

By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The European Union executive is expected to recommend taking Ukraine one step closer to becoming a member of the bloc this week,…

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Moldova president says Orthodox church must work for European integration

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's president waded carefully on Monday into a row pitting the ex-Soviet state's two rival Orthodox churches against each other over Russian influence, saying…

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Moldova blocks access to more than 20 Russian media websites

CHISINAU, (Reuters) - Moldova blocked access to more than 20 Russian media websites, saying they had been used as part of an information war against the country. The Russian Foreign…

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EU Parliament chief Metsola suggests Ukraine and Moldova have ‘observer’ MEPs

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola suggested that Ukrainian and Moldovan lawmakers could join the assembly as “observer” members while the two countries await formal accession into the European Union. The…

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Moldovan president says Russia’s Wagner head plotted coup against her

Moldova's pro-European President, Maia Sandu, said Russia's Wagner paramilitary force was the main force behind an attempt to foment a coup against her, she told the Financial Times in an…

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Officials urge Moldova to seize opportunity for EU membership

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, (Reuters) - Moldova launched a nationwide discussion on securing European Union membership, with senior officials and academics urging their compatriots to seize every opportunity to join…

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Mircea Snegur, first president of Moldova, dies at 83

CHISINAU, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Moldova's first president, Mircea Snegur, has died at the age of 83, former Moldovan vice-premier Constantin Tampiza said on Thursday. "On September 13, at 23:30…

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Germany adds Georgia and Moldova to list of safe countries of origin

BERLIN, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Germany's coalition government on Wednesday listed Georgia and Moldova as safe countries of origin in a bid to cut asylum applications from those nations, which…

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Twenty-two Russian diplomats leave Moldova as relations slide

CHISINAU, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Twenty-two Russian diplomats flew out of the Moldovan capital of Chisinau on Monday, leaving behind a skeleton staff as relations between the two countries deteriorated…

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Tension in Moldova after Tajik man shoots two dead at Chisinau’s international airport

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, (Reuters) - A 43-year-old Tajik man grabbed a gun, shot dead two security officers and wounded a civilian at Moldova's main international airport on Friday after…

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Switzerland adopts sanctions against people involved in undermining Moldova’s sovereignty

June 29 (Reuters) - Swiss financial regulator FINMA on Thursday said that the Federal Council yesterday adopted financial sanctions and travel restrictions against five people over actions to undermine the…

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UPDATED: Visiting Moldova, Zelenskiy says Ukraine ready for NATO membership

CHISINAU, June 1 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a trip to Moldova on Thursday that Ukraine was ready to be in the NATO military alliance, and that Kyiv…

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Moldova ramps up efforts to join EU amid fears of Russia-backed coup

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Moldovans rallied in the capital Chisinau on Sunday to support their pro-Western government's drive towards Europe amid what officials have said are Russian…

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Moldova’s President Maia Sandu wants EU accession talks to start ‘in the next months’

The EU should let Moldova into the bloc “as soon as possible” to better protect the country against rising Russian threats, Moldova’s President Maia Sandu said Thursday. The country of…

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Moldovan region headed for clash with pro-European government

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, May 16 (Reuters) - The assembly in a pro-Russian region of Moldova on Tuesday endorsed the election of a local leader intent on improving ties with…

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Moldova leader accuses Russia of meddling ahead of regional vote

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, April 27 (Reuters) - President Maia Sandu accused Russia on Thursday of meddling in Moldova's internal affairs, pointing to an election this weekend in the region…

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Moldova needs $275 mln to modernise armed forces -defence official

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova needs 250 million euros ($275 million) to modernise its armed forces following Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine last year, a senior defence official…

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Polish PM says fast-track route for Moldovan EU membership is possible

CHISINAU, (Reuters) - Fast-tracking Moldova's accession to the European Union could be possible, Poland's prime minister said on Thursday, as Chisinau seeks to join the bloc amid fears it could…

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No risk of war in Moldova while Ukraine holds out – President Sandu

CHISINAU (Reuters) - President Maia Sandu said she saw no danger of war in Moldova while Russia is fighting in Ukraine, despite what she said were Russian efforts to destabilise…

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Moldovan parliament approves law on Romanian language

CHISINAU, (Reuters) - Moldova's parliament on Thursday approved a law on referring to the national language as Romanian in all legislative texts and the constitution, despite opposition from a pro-Moscow…

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Police limit anti-government protest in Moldova

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Police in Moldova kept several thousand demonstrators away from government buildings on Sunday after officials warned of possible organised disorder at the protest, the latest of a…

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Breakaway Moldovan region says it foiled Ukraine plot against leader

Ukraine calls assertion a Russian 'provocation' Six people posing as Ukrainian refugees arrested -Transdniestria (Reuters) - Security services in the Moscow-backed breakaway Transdniestria region of Moldova said they had thwarted…

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Moldovan parliament condemns Russian invasion of Ukraine

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's parliament adopted a declaration on Thursday condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine which has contributed to a rise in tensions between Moscow and Chisinau. A narrow…

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Wizz Air to suspend Moldova flights, citing security risk

BUDAPEST, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Airline Wizz Air WIZZ.L said on Monday it would suspend flights to the Moldovan capital Chisinau from March 14 due to concerns about the safety of its airspace. The…

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Kremlin says it is concerned by situation in breakaway Moldovan region

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday it was worried about the state of affairs in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, where it said Ukraine and other European countries were…

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Russia warns West over threatening its troops in breakaway Moldovan region

(Reuters) - Russia told the West that it would view as an attack on itself any actions that threatened Russian peacekeepers in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, one day after Moscow…

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U.S. plans $550 million aid for Ukraine, Moldova energy security

By Arshad Mohammed SAINT PAUL, Minn., Feb 24 (Reuters) - The United States plans to announce $250 million in aid on Friday to shore up Ukraine's energy infrastructure in the…

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UPDATED: Moldova dismisses Russia accusation of Ukraine planning to invade Transnistria

Moldova has dismissed an accusation by Russia’s defence ministry on Thursday that Ukraine planned to invade the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria after staging a false flag operation, and called…

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Putin cancels decree underpinning Moldova’s sovereignty in separatist conflict

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, Feb 22 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin revoked on Tuesday a 2012 decree that in part underpinned Moldova's sovereignty in resolving the future of the Transdniestria…

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Kremlin: Russia’s relations with Moldova are very tense

The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia's relations with Moldova were very tense and it accused Moldovan leaders of pursuing an anti-Russian agenda, one week after Chisinau said it had…

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Moldova finds missile debris in its north after Russian air strike

CHISINAU (Reuters) - A police patrol found missile debris in northern Moldova on Thursday, hours after overnight Russian missile strikes on targets in neighbouring Ukraine, police said. The debris was…

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UPDATED: Moldovan parliament approves new pro-Western government

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's parliament approved a pro-Western government led by new Prime Minister Dorin Recean on Thursday after he pledged to revive the economy and chart a course towards…

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Moldovan president warns of Russian plot to topple leadership

Moldova's president accused Russia on Monday of planning to use foreign saboteurs to bring down her tiny country's leadership, stop it joining the European Union and use it in the war against…

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Moldova names new pro-EU prime minister

Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Friday nominated a new prime minister to keep her country on a pro-EU trajectory after the previous government fell earlier in the day, following months…

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Russia missiles heading to Ukraine once more fly over Moldova

Russia's latest aerial attack on Ukraine saw missiles cross Moldovan airspace, Ukrainian and Moldovan officials have said. Kyiv's top general said two missiles fired from the Black Sea flew above…

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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) -…

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Moldova says missile debris found in north of the country

CHISINAU (Reuters) - The president of Moldova, Ukraine's western neighbour, denounced a new wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian targets on Saturday after missile debris was found just inside the…

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Photo Story: Decorations in Moldova

The park near Art Museum decorated with lights and 2023 numerals in downtown Chisinau, Moldova. Traditionally, people from former countries of the Soviet Union celebrate Christmas on two occasions, on…

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Moldova’s Sandu says hopes for EU entry this decade

President Maia Sandu, elected in 2020 on a pro-European and anti-corruption platform, expressed hopes that crisis-hit Moldova would join the European Union before 2030. "My wishes are very ambitious," Sandu…

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Moldova fears new Russian push towards breakaway east next year -spy chief

Moldova's spy chief warned on Monday of a "very high" risk of a new Russian offensive towards his country's east next year and said Moscow still aimed to secure a…

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Moldova moves closer to breaking dependence on Russian gas, deputy PM says

KYIV, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Moldova has reached a short-term energy deal that would help wean one of Europe's poorest countries off its dependence on Russian natural gas, a senior official said on Saturday.…

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Moldova to temporarily ban six TV channels over broadcasts about war

CHISINAU (Reuters) - The small ex-Soviet state of Moldova will temporarily ban six television channels for airing "incorrect information" about the country and Russia's war in Ukraine, authorities said. The…

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Moldova’s new economy minister pledges pro-business overhaul

KYIV (Reuters) - Moldova's new economy minister says he is mapping out long-term reforms and will slash bureaucracy to lay the foundations of a business-friendly economy and accelerate accession to…

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Powers meet to pledge urgent support for Moldova as winter nears

By John Irish PARIS, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Some 45 countries and institutions meet in Paris on Monday to pledge millions of euros of aid for Moldova, as fears mount…

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Former Moldovan president released, vows new protests

By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) - Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon, who faces a series of criminal charges, was released from house arrest on Friday and vowed to take part…

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Photo Story: Supporters of the Shor political party protest in Chisinau

Police officers remove tents from the street after a clash with supporters of the Shor political party, who were trying to install tents to block the main street in front…

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Moldovan President Hails U.S. Move To Sanction Moldovans, Russians Over Political Interference In Her Country

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has welcomed a move by the United States to impose sanctions on several Moldovans and Russians over "systemic corruption" and their efforts to influence elections in…

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Moldova laments 90 Percent Of Military Equipment Is Outdated

A large part of Moldova's military equipment dates back to Soviet times and is in urgent need of replacement, Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii told RFE/RL, adding that the money allocated…

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Moldova summons Russian ambassador over missiles crossing its airspace

Moldova’s foreign minister Nicu Popescu has written on Twitter that he has summoned Russia’s ambassador to explain why missiles launched from the Black Sea into Ukraine crossed Moldova’s airspace. A…

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Moldova says Russia’s Gazprom cuts gas supplies by 30%

CHISINAU, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Russia's Gazprom GAZP.MM cut natural gas supplies to Moldova on Saturday by around 30%, the director of gas firm Moldovagaz, Vadim Ceban, said. A day earlier, deputy Prime Minister…

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In Moldova, thousands in new call for government’s resignation

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Several thousand people protested in Moldova's capital on Sunday for the second straight weekend to demand the resignation of the country's pro-Western government amid mounting anger over…

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Thousands take part in anti-government protest in Moldova

CHISINAU, Sept 18 (Reuters) - At least 5,000 people rallied in Moldova's capital on Sunday, demanding the resignation of the government and pro-Western President Maia Sandu, blaming them for high inflation and…

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Russia warns Moldova not to threaten its troops in breakaway region

Sept 1 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Moldova on Thursday that threatening the security of Russian troops in the breakaway region of Transdniestria risked triggering military confrontation…

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