Moldovan PM in Brussels: "We see a massive effort by Russia to undermine democracy"

We see a massive effort by Russia to undermine democracy and the state of the Republic of Moldova, Prime Minister Dorin Recean warned in Brussels today. The official expressed confidence that Russia's plans would fail if "Moldovans take care of the future of our country."

The PM warned that "Russia aims in next autumn to take control of Moldova through a docile government and to use the Transnistrian region against both Ukraine and Romania."

"We must understand that Russia aims in next autumn to take control of Moldova through a docile government and indeed to use the Transnistrian region against both Ukraine and Romania, which is a NATO allied state," said Dorin Recean.

The official noted that "Russia focuses on very powerful tools, such as propaganda, disinformation, payments, transfers to buy votes."

"We see a massive effort by Russia to undermine democracy and the state of the Republic of Moldova. They focus on quite powerful tools, such as propaganda, disinformation, payments, transfers to buy votes. Here, the interference capacity of Russia, of the Kremlin is very large. That is why we are also quite cautious," the prime minister informed.

Dorin Recean emphasized that, under these conditions, Moldova must increase its efforts, in order to "combat Moscow's undermining attempts." At the same time, the official expressed confidence that Russia's plans would fail, if "Moldovans take care of the future of our country."

"We, as a country, must also enhance our efforts to combat these undermining attempts by Moscow, and I am firmly convinced that Russia will not succeed, if we, the Moldovans, take care of the future of our country," Dorin Recean added.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean is on a visit to Brussels on June 3-4, where the ninth meeting of the Moldova - European Union Association Council took place today.