Moldovan President has revoked the citizenship of Alexandr Kalinin
ED: Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, and its borders are primarily with Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The Dniester River forms much of the eastern border between Moldova and Ukraine. Transnistria, a breakaway region that declared independence in 1990 but is not internationally recognized, is located on the eastern side of the Dniester River, separating it from the rest of Moldova. The situation in Transnistria has led to political complexities and diplomatic challenges for Moldova. The capital of Moldova is Chisinau.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has revoked the citizenship of Alexandr Kalinin, the leader of the marginal pro-Russian Party of Regions and the Congress of Moldovan diasporas in Russia. The corresponding decree was published on the Moldovan head of state’s website on Tuesday, November 28.
The decision to strip Kalinin of Moldovan citizenship was based on the grounds of “recruitment into the armed forces of a foreign state,” as specified in Article 23.1.3 of Moldova’s Law on Citizenship.
Kalinin assumed the role of chairman of the Moldovan Party of Regions in 2016. In 2020, he garnered signatures in support of a presidential bid but later withdrew voluntarily. Notably, Kalinin is an outspoken advocate of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, evident in numerous photos and videos on his social media accounts where he is seen donning a military uniform marked with the letter Z, used by the Russian army in its conflict in Ukraine…an act prohibited in Moldova.
The politician has actively organized events aimed at assisting Russian soldiers by collecting warm clothing and footwear. Subsequently, these items are delivered to occupied settlements in Luhansk Oblast. Such activities are in violation of Moldovan regulations.
Kalinin’s actions have not gone unnoticed internationally, as he has faced sanctions from both the European Union and Canada for his attempts to undermine the stability of the Moldovan government.
