MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Moldovan Foreign Ministry said Monday it has decided to recall Ambassador to Russia Andrei Neguta for an undetermined period due to alleged attempts by Moscow to intimidate Moldovan officials and politicians.
"The Foreign Ministry has decided to recall to Chisinau for consultations Ambassador Andrei Neguta indefinitely," the ministry's press service said in a statement.
According to the statement, the decision had been made "in connection with the increasing instances of intimidation by the Russian authorities of Moldovan officials and politicians, and the absence of official answers to the repeated requests of the Moldovan authorities in that regard."
The ministry added that the consultations are aimed at considering ways of overcoming the current situation in order to avoid similar actions in the future that could undermine the Moldovan-Russian relations.
READ MORE: Saudis Recall Ambassador to Germany After Gabriel's Remarks
Following the incident, Moldova President Igor Dodon strongly criticized the government's move.
"I am outraged by the decision of the Moldovan Foreign Ministry to recall the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Moldova Andrei Neguta from the Russian Federation for consultations," Dodon wrote in his Facebook blog.
"I regard this as another provocation by the pro-European government, aimed at undermining the strategic partnership between our countries," Dodon stressed.
Contrary to the efforts of the president, the Moldovan cabinet and parliament adopted a series of anti-Russian measures, including the decision to declare several Russian diplomats and cultural figures personae non-gratae, which has strained relations between the two countries.
