US Sanctions 9 Individuals, 12 Entities Over 'Malign' Influence On Moldova - Treasury

The United States introduced sanctions against 12 entities and nine individuals in response to their alleged malign influence campaigns and corruption in Moldova, the US Treasury Department said on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th October, 2022) The United States introduced sanctions against 12 entities and nine individuals in response to their alleged malign influence campaigns and corruption in Moldova, the US Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

"Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action to counter the Government of the Russian Federation's persistent malign influence campaigns and systemic corruption in Moldova by imposing sanctions on nine individuals and 12 entities," the Treasury Department said in a press release.

The list includes Igor Chaika, son of former Prosecutor General of Russia Yury Chaika; Moldovan tycoon Vladimir Plahotniuc; Russian singer Jasmin and her husband and Moldovan politician Ilan Shor, as well as his political party, among others.

The United States believes that Plahotniuc was engaged in state capture by exerting control over and manipulating key sectors of Moldova's government, including the law enforcement, electoral, and judicial sectors when he served as an elected chair of the Democratic Party of Moldova, the release said.

Ilan Shor, a chairman of the Shor Party in Moldova, is alleged to have worked with Russian individuals to exert control over Moldova's parliament in order to promote several pieces of legislation in the interests of the Russian Federation, according to the Treasury Department.

Russian pop singer Jasmin is being designated for being the spouse of Shor, the release noted.

Igor Chaika has been sanctioned for his alleged role in a plan to undermine Moldovan President Maia Sandu and return Moldova to Russia's sphere of influence, the release also said.

The United States has also designated several Chaika-owned companies, including OOO Aqua Solid, OOO Ekogrupp, OOO Inzhiniring.rf, and OOO Inovatsii Sveta, as well as his alleged associates: Ivan Zavorotnyi, Yuriy Gudilin, Olga Grak, and Leonid Gonin, according to the release.

The Shor Party, in cooperation with the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, has been staging rallies in Chisinau since mid-September against the policies of the Sandu government and her political party, the Party of Action and Solidarity.

On October 16, the police dispersed a peaceful demonstration and dismantled the opposition's tent camp outside the parliament.

Demonstrators say they are outraged by an unprecedented increase in prices for energy and food, as well as by high inflation and a decline in living standards, which they blame on the government.

Numerous polls show that about 60% of Moldova's population doubts the ability of the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity to stay in power for another three years until the next parliamentary elections. In addition, roughly 70% of Moldovans are disappointed with the current policies and almost 65% support a change of government.