The Kremlin's reaction after the leader of Tatarstan was not allowed to enter Moldova: This is yet another unfriendly step towards Russia
The ban on the entry of Tatarstan's leader Rustan Minnikhanov into Moldova is yet another unfriendly step towards Russia, and the authorities in Chisinau should not prevent the development of human contacts and interregional ties with the Russian Federation. This is the reaction of Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zaharova
"We consider the decision of the Moldovan authorities as another unfriendly step not only towards Tatarstan and Gagauzia, but also towards Russia. This step is aimed at undermining the traditionally close interaction between the regions of our countries. We are sure that such an anti-Russian attitude does not find support in the general public of the Republic of Moldova. We call on the official Chisinau to listen to the interests of its own citizens and not to hinder the development of human contacts and interregional ties with Russia," the Russian Foreign Ministry's statement reads.
On Monday, the President of Tatarstan was not allowed to enter the Republic of Moldova. He was due to attend a congress in Comrat at the invitation of Gagauz People's Assembly deputy Victor Petrov, a candidate for Bashkan of the Gagauz autonomy.
Border Police representatives stressed in a press release that the statements of the Russian official who returned from our country, that he was declared "persona non-grata" in the Republic of Moldova, are false. The Border Police also said that "supporting a candidate in local elections in our country is not a valid reason for the visit" and recalled that the authorities have asked Russian officials to refrain from interference in the internal affairs of our country.
According to investigations, published by Alexei Navalnyi's team in 2020, Rustan Minnikhanov is allegedly involved in several billion-ruble corruption schemes. NGOs estimate that the Minnikhanov family owns real estate worth almost $50 million in Russia, France and the United Arab Emirates. Most of Minnikhanov's fortune is written in his wife's name.
At the same time, the Tatarstan leader has been placed on the Western sanctions list as a supporter of the war in Ukraine. Bans against him and his family have been introduced by the US and Canada. In January 2023, during a meeting with Putin, Minnikhanov reported to him that 2.5 billion rubles had been allocated from Tatarstan's budget for the war in Ukraine. He also said that two battalions from the region had been sent to the front, and the town of Lisiciansk was controlled by its military.
