President Maia Sandu accused Russia on Thursday of meddling in Moldova's internal affairs, pointing to an election this weekend in the region of Gagauzia where she said many of those running were Russian agents.
Moldova barred a Russian regional delegation this week from going to the semi-automonous pro-Russian region of Gagauzia which will elect the head of its government on Sunday.
The delegation was led by Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of Russia's Tatarstan region, who said it was regrettable he had been denied entry to Moldova's capital Chisinau.
"We see open interference, he was headed to Gagauzia to support one of the candidates at the elections," Sandu said in televised comments. "Unfortunately many of the candidates there are agents of Russia, and not politicians who want to work for the good of the Gagauz people."
Moscow denies meddling in Moldova's affairs. It did not immediately respond to Sandu's accusation of candidates being agents.
Russia said on Tuesday it was expelling a Moldovan diplomat in what it cast as retaliation for the expulsion last week of a Russian diplomat in Moldova.
Moldova, a small former Soviet republic which applied to join the European Union last year alongside its neighbour Ukraine, has accused Russia of trying to destabilise it. Moscow denies the allegation.
"Russia does not respect and never has respected our sovereignty and independence. And now Moscow is trying to destabilise the situation in Moldova to obstruct our European course, to provoke chaos," Sandu said on Jurnal-TV.
Moldova has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine that sent shockwaves through Moldova's economy, which was heavily reliant on gas supplies from Russia. Anti-government protests followed.
Sandu said Russia was financing protests and various parties "to return politicians who are under their control to power" and that Chinisau was opposing these efforts with the EU's support.
(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, Writing by Tom Balmforth, Editing by imothy Heritage)
