RUSSIA MAY INTRODUCE SANCTIONS AGAINST MOLDOVA – GERMAN EXPERT

German expert Anneli Ute Gabanyi maintains that as an answer to declaring Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin persona non grata in Moldova, Moscow may adopt sanctions against Moldova. She said this in an interview to Radio Free Europe, commenting on aggravation of relations between Chisinau and Moscow.

“The question is if Russia will be acting now or later, as it is possible that Moscow’s reaction will not be immediate due to political reasons. Of course, a very dangerous measure would be sanctions against those 500 thousand labor migrants from Moldova who are working in Russia. If they are expelled home, this may create serious economic and social problems in Moldova. Such danger already occurred, when Russia was threatening to send them home before elections”, the expert said.

According to her, symmetrical sanctions may be applied against officials, who may be declared persona non grata in Russia, but this would not cause great emotions.

“It is obvious that this does not correspond to the importance of the situation either in bilateral relations or in geopolitical context”, Gabani said.

She says that Rogozin was acting as a provoking agent

“The provocation was planned. It could have been avoided, as Moldovan authorities tried to resolve problems by diplomatic means, calmly and without international spectators. But Rogozin and the Kremlin decided differently”, the analyst said.

On the other hand, she said that becoming public, this provocation points at certain situations and phenomena in other fields.

“First of all it is about the internal situation in Moldova – the division between pro-Western forces and the Government, on one side, and the Party of Socialists and the President, on the other side. This division became more obvious than ever”, Gabani said.

According to her, this will continue revealing itself given the 2018 parliamentary elections. The expert supposed that Moscow will be supporting Dodon as his power is in jeopardy.

“This is why the personality of Plahotniuc was separately emphasized (in interview, Rogozin called the DP leader “a Mafiosi who stands behind the decision of Moldovan Government”). For me it is clear that the upcoming elections will demonstrate how the population reacts on these forces, who are now clearly divided”, Gabani said.