Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu has linked the recent protests in Moldova’s Transnistrian region to the upcoming parliamentary elections in Russia. He made the statement during a discussion with journalists at Parliament.
“Honestly, I link them to the context of the elections, the so-called elections in the Russian Federation, which begin tomorrow and continue until Sunday,” Igor Grosu said.
Russia’s State Duma elections are scheduled for September 18–20, 2026, with voting taking place over three days. They are the first parliamentary elections in Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
According to the Parliament Speaker, the protests could be linked to an attempt by the de facto administration in Tiraspol to demonstrate that it is active and concerned about the situation in the region.
“The so-called authorities probably need to show a bit of bravado, to be active, to show that they are not indifferent, and so on,” Grosu said.
At the same time, the Parliament Speaker said the protests do not affect Moldova’s reintegration process.
“Otherwise, the reintegration process is moving forward, it is irreversible, and the decisions have been correct,” Grosu said.
Several protests have taken place in Bender this week. Participants carried signs reading “No to the genocide of the Transnistrian people,” “Transnistria is a self-sufficient state,” and “The peacekeeping operation on the Dniester must continue.” The protesters oppose economic measures applied by Moldova’s constitutional authorities to companies operating in the region. They claim that businesses on the left bank of the Dniester have lost approximately $32 million over the past three years due to customs duties imposed by Chisinau.
The protests have taken place amid the gradual introduction of VAT and excise duties on imports by businesses in the Transnistrian region. As of September 1, 2026, the measures apply to 11 categories of goods, with further expansion planned in 2027 and full fiscal alignment targeted for January 1, 2030.
The claim that businesses lost $32 million due to the customs measures is an allegation made by the protesters and has not been independently verified.
Russia’s parliamentary elections will take place from Friday, September 18, through Sunday, September 20. They are the first State Duma elections since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Vladimir Putin was last re-elected president in 2024.