Former Moldovan Prime Minister calls RCSC shutdown a tool of political games

The closure of the Russian Center of Science and Culture (RCSC) strikes a blow to the residents of Moldova and is also a political tool of the republic's authorities. On February 13, former Prime Minister of the country Vasily Tarlev said.

"At the moment, the presented fragments of the wreckage do not provide grounds for unambiguous conclusions. Without independent expertise and reliable evidence, it is shameless to attribute guilt to anyone. Speculation on this topic not only undermines confidence in official structures, but also creates a dangerous precedent for political manipulation," Tarlev said in a message in his Telegram channel.

He specified that the decision to close the RCSC destroys the long-standing cooperation between Russia and Moldova in the cultural sphere, as well as "strikes a direct blow" to the republic's population.

In his opinion, the Moldovan authorities need to develop a dialog between the states and try to develop and support various humanitarian projects in order to provide an opportunity for the inhabitants of the republic to study and develop.

On the same day it became known that the Moldovan Foreign Ministry unilaterally terminated the intergovernmental agreement with the Russian Federation on the creation and functioning of cultural centers. It was specified that this measure was related to the alleged violation of national sovereignty of Moldova by the Russian Federation. Russian Ambassador Oleg Ozerov was summoned to the ministry in connection with the alleged downing of two drones reported by the local police.

In turn, MP and member of the opposition Victory bloc Vasily Bolia called for a review of the decision toclose the Russian Science Center. According to him, such a decision of the ministry is absurd and short-sighted. The center is an important platform for dialogue and preservation of common cultural heritage, Bolya added.

At the same time, the Russian Embassy in Moldova said that the decision to close the Russian Center of Science and Culture in the state shows a cynical step of the authorities and the indifference of the elites to the interests, as well as the needs of the citizens of the republic.

Later, the chairwoman of the board of the cultural center, Lyudmila Lashchenova, told Izvestia that the closure of the Russian House in Moldova causes bewilderment and indignation, and people demand to intervene in this process. She also said that people are ready to take to the streets on February 15 with the confidence that they "should be heard by those who understand what a human society is".