Pro-Russian political forces in Moldova name their official candidate for presidential election

On 2 August, the pro-Russian Moldovan party block Victorie (Victory) announced Vasile Bolea, a former member of Moldova's Socialist Party, as its presidential candidate.

Source: European Pravda, citing a message on the Victorie Telegram channel

Details: Bolea was elected as a presidential candidate by the assembly of the Victorie bloc.

They also appointed MP Marina Tauber, who is currently facing criminal proceedings in Moldova and is under Western sanctions, as his campaign manager.

In his election programme, the pro-Russian candidate calls for Moldova to "restore relations with Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States", join BRICS, "reinstate the status of the Russian language" and secure "cheap gas and affordable energy" for the economy.

Fugitive oligarch and leader of the Victorie bloc, Ilan Shor, described Bolea as "a reliable friend, someone who will fight for his ideas and his team to the end".

MP Vasile Bolea joined the Revival party after being expelled from the Socialist Party for visiting Tel Aviv and meeting with Ilan Shor, who was sentenced to 15 years in Moldova for his role in the 2014 bank fraud. [The 2014 Moldovan bank fraud scandal involved the embezzlement of approximately US$1 billion from three major Moldovan banks, orchestrated through fraudulent loans and financial schemes. The scandal led to widespread political and economic turmoil in Moldova, significantly impacting the country's financial stability – ed.]

The presidential election in Moldova will be held on 20 October.

Background:

• This April, several Moldovan parties close to Shor held a congress in Moscow and united into the Victorie political bloc.
• The fugitive oligarch, who headed the bloc, advocated the federalisation of Moldova, which should take place through Russian "mediation".

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