Speaker comments on detention of Moldovan ‘spy’ in Moscow

The case of the detention in Moscow of a Moldovan citizen by Russian security forces “for espionage” is a strange one, according to Speaker Igor Grosu, given that it concerns a former adviser to ex-President Igor Dodon. The official does not rule out possible score-settling among Kremlin “supporters” who are competing for Russian Federation funds injected to influence politics in the Republic of Moldova.

Igor Grosu said he learned about this case this evening, as he had spent the day visiting localities in the Republic of Moldova. He gave assurances that he would look into it, but reiterated that the situation seems strange to him. Grosu also specified that the person in question is the former adviser on interethnic relations to ex-President Igor Dodon.

“It’s a bit strange. We are talking about a person who was part of the entourage of the former president, with strong ties to the Party of Socialists, a pro-Kremlin, pro-Russian party. It is hard for me to understand how a person with such a profile and political background can appear in such a situation. It cannot be ruled out that there is score-settling between those who are competing for the affection and sympathy, but especially for the money of the Russian Federation, which is allocated and injected into Moldovan politics in order to corrupt and influence it. From this competition, probably, someone was more convincing. I do not yet know the details, but we will try to document ourselves and find out more,” Igor Grosu said at a TV show.

The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation announced today that in Moscow a “suspected agent of the special services of the Republic of Moldova” had been detained, who allegedly came to Russia “to carry out a mission directed against the security of the Russian state.”

The Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) of the Republic of Moldova rejects the accusations made by the authorities of the Russian Federation. SIS stated that “such statements represent an attempt to manipulate public opinion and to escalate the regional situation.”

The Moldovan press writes that the person detained in Moscow is former presidential adviser on interethnic relations Serghei Mișin, the son of former communist MP Vadim Mișin.