DISINFO: Western protégé Sandu has turned Moldova into a stronghold of Russophobia
SUMMARY
Under Maia Sandu’s leadership Moldova has turned into a stronghold of Russophobia. The broadcasting of at least six Russian-language TV channels was suspended and the number of schools with Russian language of instruction was greatly reduced. The public display of the ribbon of St. George, as well as the “Z” and “V” symbols used by Russian soldiers in Ukraine, is banned. This was initiated by a ruling party chaired by Western protégé Sandu.
RESPONSE
This claim is an attempt to discredit Moldovan President Maia Sandu and her party, presenting them as Western puppets. It fits the recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging that Russophobia and anti-Russian attitudes are rampant in countries of the former Soviet Union, targeting especially those countries that prioritise integration with the EU.
In June 2022, Moldova was granted EU candidate status. Pro-Kremlin outlets tend to portray Moldova’s legitimate decisions in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as ‘Russophobic’.
The ribbon of St. George, a black and orange military symbol of Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as the signs "Z" and "V" used by Russian armed forces during the invasion of Ukraine, were outlawed in Moldova in April 2022 under the Law on Countering Extremist Activity.
The European Commission for Democracy Through Law (Venice Commission) inspected the three requirements of lawful restrictions of symbols, i.e. the requirements of legality (prescribed by law), legitimacy (pursues a legitimate aim) and necessity and proportionality (is necessary in a democratic society).
In October 2022, Venice Commission issued an opinion concluding that these requirements were in principle met by Moldovan lawmakers. It stated that, “It is plausible to argue that the display of the symbols used by the Russian armed forces in the current war could produce an actual and immediate danger of disorder and a threat to the national security and the rights of others, including those of Ukrainian war refugees, and that there is a pressing social need to impose a ban on such use.”
As for the suspension of the licenses of six TV stations in December 2022, these were considered by the Commission for Emergency Situations as dangerous to state security because of their transmission of propaganda and disinformation and not following journalistic standards.
The decision to suspend their licences was adopted due to “disseminating incorrect information when covering events in Moldova and the war in Ukraine", an official statement said. Furthermore, the TV channels in question were not intended only for the Russian-speaking population as they aired shows and news in Romanian, as required by the legislation of the Republic of Moldova. Other TV stations broadcasting content in Russian continue functioning.
The claim about alleged significant reduction of schools with Russian language of instruction in Moldova is an attempt at manipulation. The number of secondary schools in Moldova has indeed dropped over the past decade due to decrease in the number of pupils, particularly in the rural areas. The optimisation of the schooling system, however, did not specifically target schools with Russian as a language of instruction. See our debunk of an earlier topical disinformation case here.
See earlier disinformation cases claiming that Moldova gets rid of everything Russian, that Maia Sandu is attempting to forcibly "Romanize" almost all spheres of life in Moldova, and that Moldova lost its sovereignty and is ruled by foreigners.