Moldovan Opposition Parties Create Joint Bloc During Congress in Moscow

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Five Moldovan opposition parties during congress in Moscow on Sunday signed an agreement on creating a joint electoral bloc dubbed "Pobeda" (Victory), a Sputnik correspondent reported.

The bloc includes the parties Sor, Sansa, Victorie, Revival, and Power of Moldovan Unity and Accord.

"Today we announce the formation of the Pobeda-Victoria electoral bloc," Sor party leader Ilan Shor said at the congress. "I can say with confidence that all the people present in this hall, all the political teams that are here, are ready to take responsibility and defeat poverty, misery and destruction. And to build a future in Moldova."

He said the Pobeda-Victoria bloc will prepare for the Moldovan presidential election and the referendum on EU accession, scheduled for the fall.

"The Pobeda bloc aims to win in the referendum," Ilan Shor told reporters, adding that the bloc would campaign against having Moldova join the European Union.

Shor nominated himself as the bloc's executive chairman and suggested Yevgenia Gutsul, the head of Moldova's Gagauzia autonomy, as council secretary.

He also said the reason for Moldovan opposition parties to hold a congress in Russia is that Moldova has become a "conquered state."

"Today in Moldova any dissident has no right to vote. Today in Moldova, in fact, a gulag has been formed. Today, any opposition figure in Moldova is a traitor from the very beginning. Any political event ends with arrests, searches and punishments by the ruling pro-European regime," Shor said, calling Moldovan President Maia Sandu an "usurper."

He accused President Sandu of allowing the United States and the European Union to run Moldova.

"Life of our citizens has become worse. Moldova has been virtually under total control of the West. Ministers, judges, prosecutors report to US and EU envoys … Moldova has long ceded its independence. We’re under external governance," the opposition politician said.

The top Moldovan court on Tuesday gave the green light for the referendum on Moldova’s EU accession bid. Moldova applied for EU membership in March 2022 and was granted EU candidate status in June 2022. In December 2023, EU leaders decided to open accession negotiations.