Russian Ambassador to Chisinau Oleg Vasnetsov has been summoned to the Moldovan Foreign Ministry for a diplomatic consultation. On March 12, he will disapprove of the Russian Embassy’s decision to open several polling stations in the Transnistrian region.
“During the meeting, the Russian diplomat will express disapproval over the decision to open polling stations in Moldova’s Transnistrian region,” the Foreign Ministry’s press service said.
Six polling stations will be opened in Transnistria on the day of the Russian presidential election. Three polling stations will be located in Tiraspol and one each in Bender, Ribnita, and Grigoriopol.
According to the decision of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the eighth presidential election will be held from March 15 to 17, 2024. In Moldova, voting will be held on the last designated day.
Speaker Igor Grosu called on Moscow to refuse to open polling stations on the territory of the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic and to open one polling station – on the territory of the Russian embassy in Chisinau.
Russian Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Vasnetsov has called Chisinau’s protest against opening polling stations in Transnistria for the Russian presidential election groundless. The statement was made after the diplomat visited the Moldovan Foreign Ministry.
Vasnetsov recalled that about 250,000 Russian citizens live on the left bank of the Dniester, who have the inalienable right to vote in the Russian presidential election.
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“The right to vote is an inalienable right, an integral part of the legal rights of all citizens. These provisions are spelled out in the Constitution and other normative acts. The main task of any diplomatic mission is to help protect the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens,” Vasnetsov told reporters.
He noted that the CEC of the Russian Federation, the Foreign Ministry, and the embassy, received a request to ensure the legal right to express the will of citizens after which, together with the Tiraspol administration, a decision was made to open polling stations.
“Dissatisfaction and protest over these actions was expressed today by the Foreign Ministry,” Vasnetsov said.
The previous Russian presidential election was held in March 2018, at that time 27 polling stations were opened in Moldova, with only three of them on the territory controlled by the official authorities and another 24 on the territory of Transnistria.