The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Moldovan Ambassador, Lilian Darii, on Monday, in response to the publication of a confidential diplomatic report on gas deliveries. According to a statement on the ministry’s website, this “flagrant incident”by Moldova has undermined trust in the country’s diplomacy and has cast doubt on the reliability of cooperation between the two nations.
Moscow also expressed its discontent over the calls by a Moldovan party to expel the Russian Ambassador and restrict the work of the Russian Embassy. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that all accusations against the Ambassador are unfounded and demanded a public denial from the Moldovan authorities.
In this context, Russia reminded the necessity of respecting the 1961 Vienna Convention, which excludes any attack on the person, freedom and dignity of diplomatic representatives. Chișinău should refrain from all actions that contravene international norms.
Last week, the Moldovan National Party (Partidul Național Moldovenesc, PNM) had accused the Russian Ambassador, Oleg Oserov, of “illegitimate”and “provocative”actions. The diplomat allegedly failed to submit his accreditation letters to the Presidential Administration, visited Transnistria without the Foreign Ministry’s permission and thus violated Moldovan legislation. Therefore, the party called for the Ambassador’s expulsion.