EU sanctions seven people accused of destabilizing the Republic of Moldova
European Union member states on Tuesday adopted sanctions against seven people from the Republic of Moldova, accused in particular of having links with "Russia's efforts to destabilize" the country, which is economically very fragile, reports Agerpres.ro.
This decision comes two days before the meeting, on Thursday, in the Republic of Moldova, of leaders from almost 50 countries for the second summit of the European Political Community (EPC), which brings together about 20 states, in addition to the 27 member states of the Union.
"The Republic of Moldova is one of the countries most affected by the consequences of the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia: there are serious, growing and continuous attempts to destabilize the country," said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, in a statement.
The assets of the seven individuals concerned will be frozen in the EU, where they will be banned from staying. This decision "sends an important political signal regarding EU support for the Republic of Moldova in a difficult context (...) We will continue to punish those who destabilize our immediate neighborhood," added Borrell.
The sanctioned persons are "politicians and businessmen of Moldovan or Russian nationality who engaged in destabilizing activities", reads the press release.
"Efforts to destabilize the Republic of Moldova have significantly intensified" since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and represent a direct threat to the stability and security of the EU's external borders, the Council notes.
