Moldova denies entry to participants of MEGA conference
Several individuals intending to participate in the international conference "Make Europe Great Again" (MEGA), held in Chișinău on July 28–29, were denied entry into the Republic of Moldova.
According to the Information and Security Service (SIS), these individuals were set to attend an event organized by “obscure organizers with no transparency in funding and suspicious ties to the criminal group Șor.”
The SIS asserts that some invited guests promote an extremist agenda and disseminate messages that threaten the country’s democracy and territorial integrity.
In a statement released on Monday, July 28, the institution noted that among the announced participants were individuals supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine and promoting hostile narratives concerning "the protection of oppressed Russian citizens," including references to the Transnistrian region.
"Amid heightened regional security tensions, the SIS highlights a series of actions disguised as civic or cultural events, forming part of a broader spectrum of hybrid activities conducted by Russia on Moldovan territory. These actions are expected to intensify, and institutions will consistently exercise their legal mandate to act in the interest of the Republic of Moldova and safeguard constitutional order," the institution emphasized.
Notably, those denied entry included Czech MEP Ondřej Dostál, declared persona non grata, and Dimos Thanasoulas, spokesperson for the Greek party NIKI. Another guest, Brian Brown, leader of a U.S.-based conservative organization, was initially stopped at the border but later permitted entry following intervention by the U.S. Embassy in Chișinău.
MEGA organizers responded sharply, accusing Moldovan authorities of censorship and calling for official explanations from the European Union, including the European Parliament and the European External Action Service.
The international conference "Make Europe Great Again" (MEGA), now in its fourth edition, is held in Chișinău under the theme "Moldova between East and West – an unresolved dilemma," ahead of the autumn parliamentary elections. The event is promoted as a conservative-leaning discussion platform, featuring politicians, intellectuals, and activists from Europe and the United States.
The conference announcement was published on Timpul.md, a website owned by Silviu Tănase. According to an investigation by RISE Project Romania, Tănase is reportedly among the beneficiaries of public funds received by the Romanian party AUR through state budget subsidies.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
