President of Moldova Maia Sandu is introducing a “political inquisition” in the republic and will organize a “real witch hunt” in the 2024 election year, the former head of the Gagauz autonomy, leader of the opposition association “Platform Moldova” Irina Vlah said on the Telegram channel.
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Sandu became president following the elections held in November 2020, and she took office at the end of December. Presidential elections will take place in 2024, and parliamentary elections in Moldova are scheduled for July 2025.
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“The 2024 election year will begin with a real witch hunt. Maia Sandu is introducing a political inquisition in Moldova,” Vlah said in a video message.
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The former head of Gagauzia recalled that the parliament, on Sandu’s initiative, voted to create a Center for Strategic Communications and Combating Disinformation, which, according to the politician, will “monitor and recommend to the Information and Security Service to suppress critical voices on the Internet.”
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“The time of unprecedentedly strict censorship begins. This will bring great satisfaction to Maia Sandu, who, out of pride and envy, destroyed many pro-European parties, including her main partner, the DA Platform,” Vlach said.
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She also said that 20 million lei (more than $1.1 million) will be allocated from the state budget for the activities of 35 employees of the center for combating disinformation. This money, according to Vlah, could be used to index pensions, repair kindergartens across the country, or expand the list of reimbursed medications.
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Earlier, President Sandu said that the Moldovan authorities will create a center for information counteraction “Patriot”, which will protect citizens from information manipulation and combat disinformation at the national level. She added that the work of the new department will be directed against Russia, which the authorities accused of information attacks, as well as “traitors to the motherland” blocking the course towards European integration. The president previously spoke about the danger of a coup d’etat and advocated granting additional powers to the intelligence services and other law enforcement agencies.
