In an exclusive interview for MoldovaLive, LGBTQ+ activist and Bang Bang Media founder Vasile Micleusanu delivered a powerful message to Moldovan society ahead of the 2025 Moldova Pride March and the country’s upcoming elections. He warned that Moldova is at a pivotal crossroads — one where the choice is not only about LGBTQ+ rights but about the broader future of democracy.
“Moldova is at a crossroads. Over the next five years, our country has a real chance to become part of the civilized European world — a space of freedom, respect for human rights, and genuine democracy. Or, on the contrary, it may be captured by authoritarian and anti-democratic forces, supported and financed by the Russian Federation.”
Micleusanu drew alarming parallels between recent developments in Moldova and what is currently happening in Georgia, where government attacks on civil liberties began with restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights and escalated into broader repression of civil society and independent media.
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“Unfortunately, in Moldova, too, the LGBTQ+ community is being used as a scapegoat,” he said. “Unscrupulous politicians who last year declared themselves anti-EU are now suddenly declaring themselves ‘pro-European,’ but using 100% Russian rhetoric.”
He specifically called out former president Igor Dodon, who has publicly threatened to strip the Moldovan diaspora of voting rights if his allies return to power. For Micleusanu, these moves signal a much deeper crisis than LGBTQ+ discrimination: “This is no longer just a fight for the LGBTQ+ community. It is a fight for the democratic future of the whole society.”
His message to LGBTQ+ people in Moldova was one of resilience and dignity: “Your dignity is not negotiable. We will continue to make our voices heard, demand respect, and defend our rights with our heads held high because we are an integral part of this society.”
He also encouraged Moldovans who may not yet fully grasp the stakes to reflect on the broader consequences of silence and complacency: “This isn’t just about Pride. It’s about what kind of country we want to be. If we accept that one part of society is silenced today, tomorrow it will be someone else’s turn.”
Micleusanu urged all citizens to see the upcoming elections as a defining moment for Moldova’s democratic trajectory: “This autumn’s elections are not about parties, but about the direction our country is taking: towards Europe or back into the darkness of autocracy.”
He concluded with a call for unity and action, reminding Moldovans that the path forward depends on how they vote, how they mobilize, and what values they choose to defend.