President Maia Sandu today, February 25, 2026, signed a decree withdrawing the citizenship of the Republic of Moldova from nine individuals. The decree concerns persons who have held and continue to hold various positions within the so-called unconstitutional entities on the left bank of the Nistru River. At the same time, two of those targeted fought on the side of the separatists in the 1992 Nistru conflict.
The procedure for revoking citizenship was initiated by the Public Services Agency, following a notification from the Security and Intelligence Service, based on the determination of legal grounds for the withdrawal of Moldovan citizenship — namely, the commission of particularly serious acts that harm the interests of the Republic of Moldova, the Presidency said in a press release.
Presidential Adviser for National Security Stanislav Secrieru stated:
“The withdrawal of Moldovan citizenship is a form of sanction for holding positions within the unconstitutional structures on the left bank of the Nistru, for ongoing actions aimed at undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, as well as for serious violations of the rights of citizens of the Republic of Moldova. These acts were committed in the interest of a foreign state that violates our country’s neutrality and is waging a war of aggression against the neighboring state of Ukraine. The withdrawal of citizenship is a measure provided by law, applied in cases where the fundamental interests of the Republic of Moldova are affected.”