Three employees of Moldovan embassy in Moscow declared 'persona non grata' by Russian authorities

Three employees of the Moldovan Embassy in Moscow have been declared 'persona non grata' by the Russian authorities. Russian Foreign Ministry made the statement today. It summoned Moldovan ambassador to Moscow Lilian Darii.

Darii was handed a protest note regarding Chisinau's 31 March decision to expel three employees of the Russian Embassy in Moldova.


'The Russian Embassy in Moldova operates in accordance with the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and any attempt to accuse the Russian diplomatic mission of interfering in the internal affairs of Moldova is groundless,' a press release of the Russian Foreign Ministry reads.


On 31 March, three employees of the Russian Embassy were declared undesirable persons on the territory of Moldova. A note to this effect was sent to the head of the Russian diplomatic mission in Chisinau, Oleg Ozerov, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).


'The Moldovan authorities' decision is based on clear evidence of activities contrary to diplomatic status on the territory of Moldova,' the MAE announced at the time.


The MAE summoned Ozerov, after the leadership of the Intelligence and Security Service announced that MP Alexandr Nesterovschi was in the Transnistrian region under the direct protection of Russian special services.

In a press conference, SIS director Alexandru Musteață said he has confirmed information on the involvement of Russian authorities, including special services and the Russian Embassy in Moldova, in evading national law enforcement bodies by Alexandr Nesterovschi.