The Kremlin has criticized the appointment of Claudiu Nasui as Moldova’s new Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the decision effectively places Moldova’s economic sector “in the hands of Bucharest.”
Zakharova also claimed that Moldova’s pro-Western forces had demonstrated their inability to find suitable candidates for government positions and suggested that Nasui’s appointment would not be accepted by the Moldovan population, News.ro reports.
“Against the backdrop of the crisis trends in the republic’s economy, they are effectively handing over the country’s entire economic sector to people from Bucharest,” Zakharova said.
She also pointed to the fact that Nasui received Moldovan citizenship on the same day President Maia Sandu signed the decree appointing him to the government position.
According to Zakharova, this allegedly demonstrates that the country’s pro-Western forces recognize their own inability to find “worthy candidates” domestically and are effectively handing Moldova over to a foreign state.
Nasui Appointed Economy Minister
Claudiu Nasui was appointed Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization on Tuesday.
At the same time, Eugeniu Osmochescu was given the vacant position of Minister of Agriculture.
Nasui previously served as Romania’s Minister of Economy between 2020 and 2021 and has recently obtained Moldovan citizenship. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan presented his appointment as part of the government’s efforts to reduce bureaucracy, improve the management of state-owned companies and create better conditions for businesses.