The Republic of Moldova did not allow a Russian delegation to enter the country on Monday and warned politicians from Moscow not to interfere in its internal problems ahead of regional elections, Reuters and RFE/RL reported.

The delegation led by Tatarstan Oblast Governor Rustam Minnikhanov was supposed to take part in a forum organized in the semi-autonomous Gagauzia region of the Republic of Moldova, where elections for the head of the region will be held on April 30. local government.

Minnikhanov arrived on the official government plane of Tatarstan, but he was not allowed to disembark.

The press release of the Moldovan police said that his visit was aimed at strengthening support for the pro-Russian candidate who will participate in the elections.

“Supporting a candidate in local elections in Moldova is not a valid reason, and the authorities ask Russian bureaucrats to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of our country,” said the border service of the neighboring country.

The head of the Russian delegation complains that Kishinev declared him persona non grata

Minnikhanov posted a video on social media saying that Moldovan authorities had labeled him and his delegation as “undesirable persons,” a move he called “sad.”

He said that the residents of Tatarstan and Gagauzia, regions with a large Turkish minority, are “brothers”.

“Together with Viktor Petrov and Oleksandr Sukhodolsky, who recently visited our republic, we predicted a large program of events. Unfortunately, the Moldovan authorities have decided that we are “non grata” who cannot visit this country. Therefore, unfortunately, we will not be able to take part in the congress,” said Rustam Minnikhanov before leaving the Republic of Moldova, as quoted by deschide.md.

The press of the Republic of Moldova writes that Victor Petrov is a deputy of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia and a candidate for the elections of the head of the region, which will be held at the end of this month.

The Republic of Moldova accused Russia of attempts to destabilize it

Moldovan President Maia Sandu and her pro-Western government have repeatedly accused Russia of being behind attempts to destabilize the country in recent months.

Most recently, Maia Sandu said in late March that Russia was trying to topple the government in Chisinau, while saying that the Republic of Moldova had evidence of it.

“There are attempts by the Russian Federation to undermine the government, to overthrow the government, and we have more evidence about this. Russia is trying to install a pro-Russian government in Chisinau so that it can use the Republic of Moldova, including against Ukraine, as is done in the case of Belarus,” she accused.

“I heard statements from the Kremlin that they will place nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus. This is exactly what Russia wants in the case of the Republic of Moldova, only that today the Republic of Moldova has an independent government that works for the benefit of the citizens, and therefore cannot be used as a pro-Russian government. used,” said the President of the Republic of Moldova.

According to Maia Sandu, Russia does not give up the idea of ​​returning the Republic of Moldova to its sphere of influence and acts through pro-Russian politicians from Chisinau to destabilize the situation in the republic.

“These destabilization attempts put pressure on our institutions, create discomfort, but we have demonstrated that we can resist this pressure. Citizens elected this government and only citizens can change something at the elections if they want to. This is not the business of the Russian Federation, and we will not allow the Kremlin to interfere in our internal affairs,” she emphasized on March 30.