Russia has complained after Moldova summoned the Russian ambassador to declare a member of the embassy staff a persona non grata.
Moldovan government press spokesman Daniel Voda told media on Wednesday the decision was connected to the unspecified “inappropiate” actions of a member of the embassy staff towards Moldovan border officials who refused entry to a regional Russian politician at the Chisinau airport this week.
Russian ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov said he had not received answers to why the embassy employee was being kicked out and why another Russian official had been barred from entering the country this week.
“We consider these actions to be unfriendly steps towards our country,” he told reporters.
Moldova, which applied to join the European Union last year along with neighbor Ukraine, and accused Russia several times of trying to destabilize the country, something Moscow denies.
Moldova told Russian politicians not to meddle in its internal affairs on Monday after not letting Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of Russia’s Tatarstan region enter the country. Police said he was visiting the country of 2.6 million to support for a pro-Russian candidate standing in a Russia-friendly regional election.
Moldova shares a border with Ukraine and NATO member Romania. Deutsche Welle reported that Minnikhanov entered Romanian airspace and was traveling with an Orthodox bishop.
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