Moldova says 50 million euro poured in to fund protests, 'buy' voters

By Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's national security service accused a fugitive oligarch on Friday of helping funnel 1 billion lei (50 million euro) into the country to stage anti-government protests during the war in Ukraine and to "buy" voters at this weekend's elections.

Alexandru Musteata, head of the security and information agency (SIB), said Ilan Shor, a Moldovan businessman who was jailed in absentia for bank fraud, was a key figure in Russian attempts to win political sway over Moldova.

"The hybrid war waged by Russia and cross-border criminal groups intensified in 2022," Musteata said, listing election meddling, the nurturing of separatist sentiments in the south and what he described as the distortion of democratic processes.

"And the authors of this scenario, directly in Moldova, are established - they are representatives of a criminal group headed by Ilan Shor ... The group operates under the cover of many political projects ...," he said at a press briefing.

Shor denied the funds were linked to Russia, saying they were generated by his business projects in different countries. In a video posted on Facebook he said he was sending the money to Moldova to help pensioners, finance social infrastructure projects and some politicians.

Moldova's pro-European President Maia Sandu accused Russia earlier this week of "buying" voters in the election by funnelling money to pro-Moscow political parties.

In response, Russia's foreign ministry called Sandu a "disgrace" and said she was trying to distract attention from her government's failings.

Sunday's vote will elect 12,000 local officials including the mayor of capital Chisinau and is seen as litmus test of Sandu's pro-European push.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, there have been concerns in Moldova that the conflict could spread to its territory.

Musteata said cyberattacks, false flag operations, attempts to organise mass disorders and stage anti-government protests were used by Russia in its hybrid warfare to destabilise. These attempts were stopped by the authorities, he said.

Musteata also sent a letter to the Moldovan election officials asking them to remove candidates linked to a pro-Shor party taking part at the elections. Shor was jailed in absentia this year for his role in a $1 billion corruption scandal.

(Writing by Olena Harmash; Editing by Tom Balmforth and Alison Williams)