Moldova's Constitutional Court outlawed the pro-Russian Shore party, headed by Ilan Shor, an Israeli-born Moldovan politician.
The court ruled that the party violated the principles of the country's constitution because "its purpose and activity were aimed at harming political pluralism, the principles of the rule of law, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Moldova." The president of the court, Nicolae Roschka, declared that when the decision was made, the Shore Party was considered dissolved. "No party document received after the publication of this decision is valid," Justice Roschka wrote. "The Justice Department should set up a committee to eliminate the Shore Party as a legal body." Lawmakers who are party members will continue to serve in parliament as independents, without the right to join other factions.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu welcomed the decision. "Our society expected this decision precisely because Moldovans value a state of law and want to live in a democratic country, where criminal organizations are not protected but prevented from taking over the country. A party established through corruption and for corruption is a danger to constitutional rule and national security."
Supporters of the "Shore" party demonstrate in front of the court in Chisinau (Chisinau), photo: Reuters
Reminder: Ilan Shor was sentenced in April to 15 years in prison for "stealing the century" in the impoverished European country. The court also ruled that the state would confiscate property worth 5 billion lei ($276.7 million) from his party. In 2017, Shore was convicted of stealing $2014 billion in Moldova's major bank fraud in late 2019 that triggered a political crisis in the country. Shor, chairman of a party bearing his name, appealed the sentence and, while it was being heard in the appeals court, fled to Israel in <>. Now the punishment remains in place and has even been increased.
Ilan Shor. Moldova asked for his extradition, photo: AFP
Shore, who is married to Russian singer Jasmin (Sarah Shore), is facing U.S. sanctions for his role in Russia's effort to stir up the atmosphere in Moldova and undermine Sandu's pro-European government — both goals for which he has received Kremlin aid. Shor's and his party's ties to the Kremlin have also been publicized in massive investigations by Moldovan and Russian journalists.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, there have been suspicions in Chisinau that it could be next. In February this year, President Sandu formally accused Russia of planning a coup in Moldova. In a special press release, Sandu said Moscow was seeking to topple the current pro-European government with violent actions disguised as opposition protests. A week before her announcement, Ukrainian President Zelensky revealed the outline of the coup to European Union leaders. He said the Ukrainian security service had discovered "a document detailing who, when and how they would work to break Moldova's democracy and take over the country."
President Sandu said that an examination by the Moldovan security services confirmed the credibility of the document and the outline revealed in it. She said the coup plan included the infiltration of citizens of Russia, Montenegro, Belarus and Serbia, who were supposed to pose as protesters and incite violence in order to impose a puppet government ruled from Moscow, and to turn Moldova into a base for opening another threat to Ukraine. "The Kremlin's attempts to bring violence to Moldova will not work," Sandu said, noting that this was not the first time Moscow had tried to destabilize her country. Last October, an investigation by Russian and Moldovan journalists revealed how the PSB (Russian Shin Bet) is working to harm the country.
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