OTTAWA –
Canada is sanctioning seven people with ties to Moldova whom Ottawa has deemed “Russian collaborators,” along with a minor political party in the eastern European country.
The new sanctions target the Shor party and its founder, as well as oligarchs, businessmen and politicians Canada says are connected to Russia.
The move follows Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s visit to Ottawa last month, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada would soon sanction people living in Moldova for ties to Russia.
Sandu has said his government is being threatened by “hybrid warfare generated by Russia” and Ukraine says it uncovered a Russian plot to topple his government.
Among those facing travel and financial business bans are three former politicians accused of laundering Russian money, who Britain is now considering extraditing from London.
Canada is also targeting Marina Tauber, a member of Moldova’s parliament who was arrested by anti-corruption officials last month for allegedly trying to flee the country.
Also sanctioned is Vladimir Plahotniuc, a former politician living outside Moldova who has been charged by courts in Washington and Moldova with fraud and manipulation of law enforcement to attack his opponents.
About the size of Vancouver Island, Moldova is among the poorest countries in Europe.
Since before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, an area along the border with Ukraine comprising roughly 10% of Moldovan territory has claimed independence, and Russian troops have occupied the region called Transnistria since 1992 .
Also Thursday, the House foreign affairs committee is hearing from bureaucrats from across the federal government about Canada’s sanctions regime after concerns from MPs and senators that the system lacks transparency and may not be effective.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 1, 2023
