Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, expressed her disagreement with the decision of the Chisinau government to refuse to open polling stations for the Russian presidential election in Transnistria. Zakharova said this at a briefing in Moscow, noting that the summoning of the Russian ambassador to the Moldovan Foreign Ministry and the expression of protest over the opening of polling stations in Transnistria were unacceptable.
She stressed that a significant number of Russian citizens live in Moldova, mainly on the left bank of the Dniester, and organizing voting exclusively at the Russian Embassy in Chisinau would mean depriving the majority of Russian citizens living in Moldova of the opportunity to express their will. This, according to Zakharova, would violate their rights and the principles of democracy.
Zakharova also expressed surprise at the logic of banning voting in Transnistria if the Moldovan authorities consider it a part of the Republic of Moldova. She questioned how this could affect the settlement of the situation in the region and noted that the elections in Russia also concern the interests and destiny of the Moldovan people. Zakharova expressed hope for a reasonable and constructive approach on the part of the Moldovan government and called on it to refrain from decisions that contradict democratic principles.
