Moldovan Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Vasnetsov over St. George ribbon issue
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova will call the Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov after the words of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova about the St. George ribbon and the President of the Republic Maia Sandu. This was stated by the head of the press service of the Moldovan Foreign Ministry, Daniel Voda. His words with a link to the Facebook page (Meta Corporation, which owns the social network, is recognized as extremist and banned in the territory of the Russian Federation) leads RIA News.
Given the unacceptable expressions addressed to the head of state by the official representative of Russian diplomacy, the Foreign Ministry ordered to call the Russian Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Vasnetsov
Voda noted that the agency took note of Zakharova’s statement made during a briefing on April 20, and called the rhetoric of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry “unconstructive and unacceptable.”
The press secretary of the ministry cited the text of the speech of the President of Moldova Maia Sandu in Russian that the inhabitants of the country should remember the victory of civilization over fascism and Nazism, and they are also obliged to honor the fallen and keep the memory of the Second World War.
Voda stressed that the decisions taken in the parliament of the republic are the sovereign right of the state. He urged Russia not to interfere in the legitimate and democratic internal processes of the country.
Zakharova’s statement
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the agency condemns Sandu’s remarks. She pointed out that Russia considers Moldova’s decision to ban the St. George ribbon to be outrageous and called such a decision a betrayal.
I understand that Moldova is also under pressure, but there are things that cannot be betrayed. This is real betrayal.
The diplomat urged Chisinau to abandon confrontational rhetoric damaging Russian-Moldovan cooperation, adding that Moscow is ready to give a “painful response.”
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Member of the Federation Council Alexei Pushkov in his Telegramchannel stressed that Sandu’s statements about the St. George ribbon are considered unacceptable as insufficient.
I think it is not enough to call Sandu’s statements about the St. George ribbon unacceptable. Such statements must have consequences. Only then will we show that they are indeed unacceptable.
Earlier, the ex-president of Moldova, Igor Dodon, criticized the ban on the St. George ribbon approved by the authorities of the republic and called on citizens to join the Victory March. According to the former head of state, the current administration is trying to distract residents from pressing problems with the ban.
St. George Ribbon Prohibition
On April 14, the Moldovan parliament approved a ban on the storage and wearing of the St. George ribbon, as well as paraphernalia with the Latin letters V and Z. Violators face a fine in the amount of 245 to 490 dollars in national currency or community service.
On April 19, the decision was approved by the President of the Republic, Maia Sandu, noting that the law prohibits “the use of symbols that promote military aggression.”
The head of state also stated that the country’s ban on the demonstration, production, distribution and storage of the St. George ribbon will not interfere with honoring the people who died for the freedom of Moldova. Sandu stressed that this symbol can be used to “sow enmity in Moldovan society.” She stressed that “the place of such symbols is in the trash can of history”, and Moldova is a neutral state.
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