--- title: "Supreme Court shortens restrictions on Vlah and Furtună parties " url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/88630/supreme-court-shortens-restrictions-on-vlah-and-furtuna-parties published: 2026-10-31T15:00:00Z language: en author: "Dumitru Petruleac" section: "Elections" source: radiomoldova.md --- # Supreme Court shortens restrictions on Vlah and Furtună parties > Moldova’s Supreme Court has shortened restrictions on two political parties led by Irina Vlah and Victoria Furtună, taking into account periods when their activities had already been restricted. ![](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/fc6aa40d-0dd8-4230-85c7-113676998108.jpg) Moldova’s Supreme Court has shortened restrictions on two political parties led by Irina Vlah and Victoria Furtună, taking into account periods when their activities had already been restricted. **Restrictions reduced after previous interim measures** The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) reduced the restrictions imposed on the Republican Party "Heart of Moldova" and the "Moldova Mare" Party. Both parties had initially faced 12-month restrictions ordered by the Central Court of Appeal. The SCJ reduced the period to three months and 20 days for "Heart of Moldova" and four months for "Moldova Mare". The decisions were issued on October 30 and are final and irrevocable. In the case of "Heart of Moldova", led by Irina Vlah, the SCJ upheld the findings concerning violations attributed to the party but changed the duration of the restriction and the date from which it is calculated. The court admitted appeals filed by both the party and the Ministry of Justice, partially overturning the Central Court of Appeal's August 4, 2026 ruling. According to the SCJ's reasoning, illegal campaign financing, the use of undeclared funds and voter bribery were organised activities linked to the party that undermined the integrity of the electoral process. The judges found that the evidence examined by the lower court demonstrated coordinated activities, the distribution of financial resources and the involvement of activists and supporters. The SCJ rejected the party's objections concerning the assessment of evidence, noting that mere disagreement with a lower court's ruling does not constitute grounds for overturning it. The court also said that the subsequent removal of criminal charges against certain individuals did not automatically invalidate the findings in the separate case concerning restrictions on the party's activities, as the two proceedings have different legal purposes and frameworks. The judges took into account the 10 months and 10 days during which "Heart of Moldova" had already been subject to restrictions, from September 25, 2025, to August 4, 2026. Consequently, the SCJ set a further restriction period of three months and 20 days, calculated from August 4, 2026. **Four-month restriction for Moldova Mare** In the case of the "Moldova Mare" Party, led by Victoria Furtună, the SCJ admitted the party's appeal and amended the Central Court of Appeal's July 22, 2026 ruling, which had imposed a 12-month restriction. The Supreme Court established that the party had already been subject to restrictions for nine months and 20 days, starting on October 2, 2025, under an interim measure imposed while the case was being examined. The judges explained that, although interim measures and the actual sanction have different legal purposes and characteristics, they produce similar effects on a political party's activities. These restrictions include participation in elections and referendums, organising public gatherings, conducting political advertising and carrying out other public activities. The SCJ ruled that periods during which a party has already been subject to such restrictions must be taken into account when determining the sanction, in order to avoid a disproportionate interference with freedom of political association. Consequently, the court set a four-month restriction period for the "Moldova Mare" Party, calculated from July 22, 2026. The SCJ's decisions in both cases are final and irrevocable. **How the cases began: exclusion from the 2025 elections** Both parties were excluded from the parliamentary election race ahead of the September 28, 2025 vote, following suspicions of illegal campaign financing. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) adopted the decisions on September 26, just two days before the parliamentary elections. In the case of "Heart of Moldova", the Ministry of Justice requested restrictions on the party's activities on September 19, 2025, following a notification from the CEC raising reasonable suspicions about the legality of the party's funding. After the Central Court of Appeal imposed an interim measure restricting the party's activities, the CEC removed its candidates from the electoral list. The decision was adopted with six votes in favour and three against. The party was part of the Patriotic Electoral Bloc of Socialists, Communists, Heart and Future of Moldova. Its leadership described the measure as political abuse and an attempt to exclude Irina Vlah from the election. The "Moldova Mare" Party was also excluded on September 26, when the CEC cancelled its registration and that of its parliamentary candidates. Four days later, on September 30, 2025, the Ministry of Justice asked the Central Court of Appeal to restrict the party's activities for 12 months and impose an interim measure. According to the Ministry, citing information from law enforcement agencies, the party had allegedly received foreign funding from Russia through Promsvyazbank, a bank subject to international sanctions and associated with the Șor group. The Ministry said that such funding violates legislation prohibiting direct or indirect foreign financing of political parties during electoral campaigns and poses a threat to national security. The party contested the authorities' actions. 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