Moldova bars pro-Russian party from taking part in local elections

The Chance Party, linked to fugitive business magnate Ilan Shor, has been barred from participating in local elections in Moldova following concerns about national security. The ban, announced by Prime Minister Dorin Recean, comes just two days before the elections, which are seen as a crucial test for President Maia Sandu’s efforts to join the European Union. Shor, who is currently in jail on fraud charges, has been accused by Moldova’s national security service of funneling 1 billion lei (50 million euros) into the country to fund anti-government protests during the Ukrainian war and to influence voters in the upcoming elections.

The ban on Chance Party candidates was introduced by Moldova’s Commission for Emergency Situations, citing “hybrid war” tactics used by Russia against Moldova. According to the government, Russia is backing and funding Shor’s activities. Recean stated that while Russia cannot invade Moldova with tanks like in Ukraine, it employs criminal groups to achieve its objectives.

The Chance Party’s leader, Alexei Lungu, condemned the ban and urged voters to support independent candidates who are still allowed to participate. He dismissed the government’s actions as a tactic to suppress their party’s influence and compared it to the murder of their people.

The ban will impact around 600 candidates in the upcoming elections. Moldovan voters will elect 12,000 officials, including the mayor of the capital city, Chisinau. President Sandu, who has been critical of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and has accused Moscow of plotting against her, called for a high voter turnout to support Moldova’s pro-European aspirations and prevent the country from falling into the hands of corrupt individuals.

Russia’s foreign ministry labeled Sandu a “disgrace” in response to her allegations, accusing her of diverting attention from her own government’s failures.

Alexandru Musteata, head of Moldova’s security and information agency, claimed that Shor had been channeling Russian funds into the country to influence voters. He highlighted Russia’s involvement in a “hybrid war,” including election interference, fostering separatist sentiment, and distorting democratic processes. Musteata identified Shor as the leader of a criminal group operating under the cover of various political projects in Moldova.

Shor denied any connection between the funds and Russia, insisting that they were generated through his own business ventures. He stated that the money was intended for helping pensioners and financing social infrastructure projects in Moldova.

Shor was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison in April for his involvement in a $1 billion bank corruption scandal. A party named after him was banned by the Constitutional Court, leading to the formation of the Chance Party as a workaround.