Moldovan PM says Russia not to manage to achieve goal of taking over country's control through docile governance

Prime Minister Dorin Recean has warned in an interview with the Financial Times that "Russia aims to take control of the country through a docile government in next autumn" and "to use the Transnistrian region in the war against Ukraine."

"This is a huge effort to undermine democracy in Moldova," Recean said, noting that the government was focused on joining the European Union.

The PM also warned that "Russia wants to consolidate its military presence in the Transnistrian region."

According to the official, Moscow's interference efforts included online propaganda and illegal money transfers to parties and voters. Dorin Recean also said that, in 2024, Russia had spent the equivalent of 1 per cent of Moldova's GDP on influence campaigns.

"We are quite cautious, because their propaganda, their communication mechanisms are very strong. They spend a lot of money," Dorin Recean stated.

The prime minister said that Russia would fail, if Moldovans care for the future of the country.

"Therefore, we need to boost our response as well. But at the same time, we must continue to pursue our agenda," said Recean, emphasizing that the government stayed focused on "the strategic objective of joining the European Union."

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 takes place.

Parliamentary elections will be held in Moldova on 28 September.