CHISINAU, Moldova — Moldova’s intelligence agency said on Monday that two foreign nationals posing as tourists had been expelled from the country and barred from returning for 10 years after they were caught red-handed carrying out “severe acts”. subversive action” aimed at destabilizing Moldova.
The Intelligence and Security Service, SIS, said in a statement that the pair had received training in data and information gathering “to carry out a plan to destabilize the internal situation in the country,” in order to provoked what it described as a “violent change” to Moldova’s constitutional order.
The SIS did not specify when the foreign nationals arrived in Moldova, which country they came from or who they allegedly worked for.
The agency said the pair had carried out subversive actions including investigating “various locations near government offices and critical infrastructure,” and that they were coordinated “from within.” shadowed by a group of individuals with links to a conspiratorial network that includes political technologists and social engineering experts abroad.”
The SIS added that foreign nationals are actively monitoring and documenting political and social processes in Moldova, including protests that it says are “organized in the capital by a number of forces” political force”.
Last Sunday, thousands of anti-government protesters rallied in the capital Chisinau to demand that the new government cover all energy bills amid a cost-of-living crisis. They also demanded the resignation of pro-Western President Maia Sandu.
The rally was organized by a newly formed group called the People’s Movement and was supported by members of Moldova’s pro-Russian Shor Party, which holds six seats in the country’s 101-seat legislature. Republic of the former Soviet Union.
Monday’s SIS statement also came after Sandu outlined on February 13 what she claimed was an alleged Moscow plot to overthrow the government in order to place the nation “under its own will.” of Russia” and deflect it one day. join the European Union.
“Through acts of violence, masked under the opposition of the so-called opposition, a change of power in Chisinau will be forced,” she said. “In executing the plan, the authors relied on a number of internal forces, but especially criminal groups such as the Shor squad and all its derivatives.”
Sandu said that the Russian purported plot envisioned attacks on government buildings, hostage taking and other violent acts by groups of saboteurs. Russia strongly denies those claims.
In June, Moldova, a country of about 2.6 million people, was granted EU candidate status, the same day as Ukraine.
