The Moldovan authorities did not let the head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov into the country, who was heading to the Gagauz autonomy. The Gagauzinfo Telegram channel published a video in which Minnikhanov, sitting in the cabin of the plane, says that he flew to Chisinau, but he was denied entry as an “undesirable” person.
The channel clarifies that a Russian official traveled to Gagauzia to campaign in support of one of the candidates in the election of the bashkan (the highest official in the autonomy).
According to the head of Tatarstan, he was going to take part in the International Congress of People's Diplomacy "Friendship of Peoples – 2023", which is being held in Gagauzia on April 17. As deputy of the Moldovan parliament Alexander Sukhodolsky told TASS, Minnikhanov came at his invitation. “He was not even allowed to get off the plane at the Chisinau airport. They handed over a document stating that they were denied entry,” the deputy said. Entry was also denied to the general director of Ak Bars Holding Company JSC, Ivan Yegorov, who accompanied Minnikhanov, with whom Sukhodolsky planned to discuss joint projects in Gagauzia.
According to Interfax, the press secretary of the Moldovan Border Police, Raisa Novicki, told reporters that the visit of the delegation from Tatarstan was not coordinated with the country's authorities.
Elections of the head of Gagauzia will be held on April 30. Eight candidates are running for the post of bashkan.