Hungarian airline Wizz Air has decided to suspend flights to and from the Moldovan capital Chisinau from 14 March for security reasons, after Moldovan airspace was occupied by a Russian missile headed for Ukraine a few weeks ago. The company announced the decision in a statement, citing the “high risk” that traveling through the country’s airspace may involve. Moldovan infrastructure minister negatively commented on Wizz Air’s choice, explaining that “flights that follow a set of procedures can be completed safely”.
The Hungarian airline’s decision is a disturbing signal for the peace of Moldova (or Moldova, according to Chisinau’s beloved sect), a candidate country to join the European Union from 23 June 2022, but in the eyes of Moscow’s new expansionism: visionary. According to the Kremlin’s ambition to reclaim the historic Novorossija region, it directly affects the Russian-speaking region of Transnistria.
So Moscow rides the opposition in Moldova
Prior to Wizz Air’s decision – and perhaps directly related – intelligence declassified by Ukrainian President Zelensky in an interview given to “Die Welt” a week ago: Zelensky had actually disclosed that Ukrainian services had fallen into the hands of an alleged Moscow plot. Take control of Chisinau airport, using it as a bridgehead to open a new front in western Ukraine. Moldova’s new prime minister, Dorin Recean, has personally confirmed these concerns, acknowledging the existence of various Russian destabilization scenarios.
The pro-Russian Shor party has actually been campaigning for some time to de-legitimise President Maia Sandu, the author of Chisinau’s rapprochement with European institutions. Last fall, Russia cut off its energy supply after Brussels’ decision to give Chisinau the same as an EU membership candidate. The interruption in Russia’s gas supply put a strong strain on the savings of Moldovan families and exponentially increased the frustration of large sections of the population. This gave a sigh of relief to the forces closest to Moscow. “We are not afraid of a Russian intervention here, if Moscow really wanted it, they would have taken our country in half a day,” said Iurie Berenchi, a man close to Shor.
The same Italian foreign ministry emphasized the Republic of Moldova as an aura of risk, especially recommending not to travel to the separatist Transnistria region.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
