Cristian Pantazi on pro-Russian politicians: They are ready to betray their country for a few rubles
Four pro-Russian politicians from the Republic of Moldova, who were barred from entering Romania due to restrictions imposed by the Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Interior, have filed a lawsuit against the Romanian Border Police. Their access to Romania was denied following a collaboration between Bucharest and Chisinau, with authorities citing concerns that these activists could pose a security threat and be suspected of terrorism. This information was reported by Cristian Pantazi, the editor-in-chief of the G4Media.ro portal, to Moldova 1 TV.
The pro-European government in Chișinău has worked to combat the hybrid war that Russia is waging throughout the region. This aggression is not confined to the Republic of Moldova, Transnistrian region, or Gagauzia; the effects of this hybrid war are significantly felt in Romania, Bulgaria, and as far away as France and Germany. Our conversations with Western diplomats and journalists reveal substantial concern in Paris, Brussels, and Berlin regarding Russia's interference in the internal affairs of European states. This concern is especially pronounced in the Republic of Moldova, which is viewed as a key target for the Kremlin.
In both the Republic of Moldova and Romania, some individuals are willing to betray their country for a handful of rubles and a bit of power that they believe Moscow can provide.
Recently, information about imposed bans on certain individuals became public. In one case, a ban was enforced for five years starting in 2022, while for three others, the bans were imposed in March 2024 after their alleged involvement in organizing a protest in Bucharest. These individuals include Alexandru Beșchieru, a parliamentary candidate on the Shor Party lists who is entangled in a legal affair; Veaceslav Lupov, the independent mayor of Taraclia and a former figurehead of the Shor party; and Igor Tuleanțev, the former leader of the Russian Youth League. The fourth individual is Maxim Moroșan, an advisor to the socialists who was turned back by Border Police last year at the request of Romanian security services. At that time, Moroșan expressed surprise at the situation.
The Moldova 1 TV team reached out to those affected by the Romanian state bans. Igor Tuleanțev stated that he was unaware of the exact reason for the ban and claimed that most information published in the media was inaccurate. He also expressed surprise at being associated with the other three individuals. We could not contact Veaceslav Lupov, but he previously stated that he does not know why he has been declared undesirable. The fourth complainant, Alexandru Beșchieru, could not be reached for comment.
