Moldovan President Slams Gov't for Bringing Ties With Russia to 'Brink of Abyss'

President Igor Dodon on Wednesday accused the Moldovan government of bringing Moldova-Russia relations to the "brink of abyss," worst in the last 25 years, and warned that the people will interfere if the Cabinet continues its anti-Russian actions.

CHISINAU (Sputnik) — The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier on Wednesday that Moscow is expelling five Moldovan diplomats in response to a similar step by Chisinau.

"Our bilateral relations have never been on the brink of the abyss for 25 years since establishing diplomatic relations between Moldova and Russia, as they are now. This is the result of irresponsible decisions and actions of the Moldovan government and parliamentary majority, which take decisions not in the interests of their people, but based on the geopolitical interests of Western curators," Dodon told Sputnik.

"If the government continues to create tensions in Moldovan-Russian relations, to provoke a break with our main strategic partner, the Russian Federation, we will say our own word, the people of the Republic of Moldova," Dodon stressed.

The president also expressed hope that Moscow will not take additional economic and social measures in response to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Moldova.

The Russian Embassy in Moldova on Monday received a note stating that five Russian diplomats were declared persona non grata in the country. Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip said the decision was made on the basis of information received from security services.

Dodon told Sputnik earlier he condemned such actions by the Moldovan government, adding that he hopes to discuss the issue with Putin on the sidelines of the SPIEF set for June 1-3.