Moldova: Members of banned pro-Russia party allowed to run in elections

On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court of Moldova gave the go-ahead for members of a pro-Russian party that had been outlawed to participate in local elections as independent candidates or party members.

The opposition Shor party is still subject to the court’s June ban.

After taking into account a complaint from party members, the court announced its most recent ruling. The party is led by exiled businessman Ilan Shor, who is accused by the West and the Moldovan government of attempting to disrupt the nation.

Serghei Turcan, a senior court member, who announced the decision, argued that the amendment that barred Shor party members from voting “had no objective criteria and was too general” and did not respect the right to be elected.

On November 5, there will be local elections, including those for city mayors. A new party called “Chance” has been registered by Shor’s allies, while an existing party called “Revival” is thought to be linked to Shor.

Senior Shor party official Marina Tauber plans to run as an independent for mayor of Balti, Moldova’s second-largest city.

Israel-based Shor was sanctioned by the US and EU for his role in a $1 billion bank scam and money laundering and was given a 15-year prison sentence in absentia in April.

After months of events organised by the party, at which protesters sought the resignation of President Maia Sandu and her pro-Western government, the Constitutional Court declared his party unlawful in June.

Sandu has charged Shor with aiming to sabotage Moldova’s EU membership aspirations and destabilising the former Soviet nation. In addition, she has claimed that Russia is attempting to topple her.

Shor has refuted claims that the demonstrations were part of a Russian threat or an effort to disrupt Moldova, which borders Romania and Ukraine and is an EU member.

Russia, which has roughly 1,500 soldiers stationed in Transdniestria, the part of Moldova that broke away, has denied planning to topple Sandu.

(With agency inputs)