Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in a session of the State Duma.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Suspicion Gains Strength in Time of Election
The Foreign Ministry of Russia lashed out at Moldova’s authorities calling for the release of two Russians detained by the law enforcement bodies of Moldova at the end of past week. Moscow says Chisinau has opened a campaign for “election provocation” against Russia and promises to take “adequate actions” in return, should the persons detained remain under arrest. In Moldova, they explain detention by illegal activities of non-residents.
The first scandal inflamed on Saturday, a day before the election of Chisinau mayor. Two lawyers – Russian Sergey Mirzoev and Ukrainian Taras Zubach – were arrested because of “interference in domestic political processes.” The lawyers, who said they arrived in Moldova as observers on invitation of Ravnopravie (Equality) Movement and Patria-Rodina (Patria-Motherland) Party, were ordered out of the country on the same day.
But the blow of the RF Foreign Ministry was provoked by another arrest. On July 10, exactly on the day of election, two observers from Russia - CIS EMO head Alexey Kochetkov and CIS EMO official Vladimir Lebedkin – were arrested for opposing Moldova’s authorities and breaching the country’s staying regulations. Kochetkov got 13 days of arrest, Lebedkin received 7 days for administrative offense. The observers will have to leave Moldova on expiration of detention term.
Alexey Kochetkov along with dozens of his mates from CIS EMO had been similarly pushed out of Moldova in March, in time of the parliamentary election.
Apart from the Russians, at least eight residents of Ukraine have been arrested in Moldova due to the easily foreseen “interference in internal political affairs.” Young members of Bratstvo (Fraternity) were detained on the eve of the mayor election for taking part in the protest rally against the ruling Communist Party.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of July 13, 2005
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