Moldovan Politicians Call for Ousting of Russian Diplomats Over Language Threats

The Liberal Party of Moldova is demanding the expulsion of Russia’s newly appointed ambassador, Oleg Ozerov, following his public remarks concerning a "linguistic pressure" on the Russian-speaking population in the unrecognized region of Transnistria.

The political party called for the diplomat to be sent back to Russia and urged authorities to strip the credentials of other Russian embassy staff members in Chișinău who are involved in intimidation and propaganda, as reported by NewsMaker on May 25.

According to the Liberal Party of Moldova, the comments made by the Russian ambassador represent a provocative and disrespectful attempt at intimidation, as well as a direct interference in the domestic affairs of the sovereign state.

The party emphasized that Moldova is an independent nation whose linguistic and cultural framework is strictly defined by its Constitution, stating that it is unacceptable for Moscow to claim the right to dictate life rules to Moldovan citizens.

The diplomatic friction intensified after Oleg Ozerov claimed on May 24 that the Moldovan government is exerting constant pressure on the Russian and Russian-speaking population of Transnistria.

The ambassador criticized the inclusion of Romanian language studies in the initial steps for a peaceful resolution in the region, arguing that Moscow believes political, social, and economic rights must be secured first.

"The Russians and Russian-speaking people living in Transnistria live under constant pressure from the Moldovan authorities, who, instead of dialogue and a peaceful settlement of the problem, are trying to impose their conditions. As one of the first points of settlement, Russian people there are offered to study the Romanian language. Learning languages is not something bad – it is very good, but first of all it is necessary to protect the political and socio-economic rights of the residents of Transnistria," Ozerov stated.

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This situation follows recent statements by Moldovan President Maia Sandu regarding the Kremlin's regional policies.

Sandu previously warned that a decree issued by Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which simplifies the process for Transnistrian residents to obtain Russian citizenship, could be utilized by Moscow to mobilize people from the Moldovan territory to fight in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On May 15, 2026, Putin signed a decree that simplified the passport acquisition process for residents of the unrecognized Transnistria region, a move that significantly escalated regional tensions.

Maia Sandu firmly rejected Moscow's humanitarian justification for the policy, stating that the Kremlin was actually attempting to carry out a hidden mobilization of the local population to boost its forces in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Sandu further emphasized that a large majority of the territory’s 350,000 residents had already chosen to obtain Moldovan passports since the start of the war, viewing them as a much safer alternative to Russian citizenship.

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