Maia Sandu

Opposition parties critical of President Maia Sandu's pro-European stance have joined forces in Moscow, forming a pre-election bloc with ambitions to contest upcoming presidential elections and a pivotal referendum on EU membership.

"We have several proposals for a declaration, we'll see... The only thing I can say is that I will stick to the principles adopted by the National Security Council of the Republic of Serbia two years ago," Vui told the gathered journalists.

TIRANA - Tirana is hosting the first Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit, to also be attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Albanian PM Edi Rama and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine and its consequences.

There is still no agreement on the text of a declaration to be adopted at the end of the summit, Tanjug learns.

The informal inner hosted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Balkan leaders and high-ranking European officials on Monday, and the visit to Athens of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seen in Greece as a reflection of its desire to serve as a bridge between Europe and the region. 

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met on Tuesday morning with the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, with the Greek leader reiterating Greece's support to Moldova's European perspective, government sources said.

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said on Monday that it has imposed sanctions on seven people with ties to the Russian intelligence services for their involvement in attempts to destabilise democracy and influence elections in Moldova, Ukraine and the Balkan countries.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Monday announced the launch of legislative initiatives to create an institution to combat Russian propaganda and better protect citizens from manipulation.

The Chisinau Court of Appeal sentenced fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor to 15 years in prison in absentia for his key role in the so-called "Grand Theft" of one billion US dollars from Moldovan banking between 2012 and 2014.

President Maia Sandu's call for a major rally in support of Moldova's European Union membership aspirations on May 21 in Chisinau's central square got a boost on Monday as three small pro-European political parties said they would take part.

President Maia Sandu said on Monday evening after a meeting of Moldova's Supreme Security Council that a new Anti-Corruption Court will be operational within three months at most and will hear cases of crime within the judicial system as well as major corruption cases.