TRIBUNA continues its project presenting political events that took place exactly one year ago. This time, we look back at what happened on September 22, 2025.

More than 250 searches

Officers of the National Investigation Inspectorate, together with prosecutors from the PCCOCS, supported by members of the “Fulger” Special Police Brigade and employees of the Intelligence and Security Service, carried out more than 250 searches in the morning, targeting over 100 people in several localities across the country.

The searches were conducted as part of a criminal case concerning the preparation of mass unrest and destabilization allegedly coordinated from the Russian Federation through criminal elements. The National Penitentiary Administration also announced that searches had been carried out that morning at four penitentiary institutions as part of the same case.

Igor Dodon’s announcement

Igor Dodon, leader of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova and a leading figure of the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, announced that searches had been conducted that morning at the homes of his colleagues in the north of the country, including the heads of the party’s territorial organizations in Drochia and Rîșcani. He accused the authorities of intimidation.

Airport restrictions

Following a decision by the Risk Management Group, measures limiting access to the terminal of Chisinau International Airport were introduced from September 25, 2025, at 00:00, until September 30, 2025, at 23:59.

Access to the terminal was permitted only to passengers holding a ticket and travel documents, as well as authorized personnel and aircraft crews.

Searches in an electoral corruption case

The National Anticorruption Center, in cooperation with the Chisinau Municipal Prosecutor’s Office, carried out investigative actions in a criminal case concerning the illegal financing of political parties, money laundering and voter bribery under aggravated circumstances.

That morning, CNA officers conducted searches in Chisinau and Orhei, as well as in southern Moldova. One person was detained following the searches, amid reasonable suspicion of involvement in the alleged offences.

Project for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The eight Nordic and Baltic countries — Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden — launched a joint project aimed at strengthening the institutional resilience of Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The project was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme and focused on strengthening the ministry’s cybersecurity capacities and modernizing its crisis-management infrastructure.

Patriotic Electoral Bloc conference

The leaders of the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, comprising the Socialists, Communists, Heart of Moldova and Future of Moldova, held a press conference entitled “PAS regime pressure to silence the opposition.”

Igor Dodon, Vasile Tarlev and Constantin Starîș condemned what they described as unfounded pressure by the PAS government on the Heart of Moldova Party and its leader, Irina Vlah.

BUN decision

The Union of the Nation Bloc (BUN) withdrew from the parliamentary election race in favor of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS).

The announcement was made during a briefing attended by the leaders of the two formations. BUN leaders said they had taken the decision so that “not a single vote would be lost.”

Meetings with ENEMO

Dmitri Torner, leader of the New Historical Option Party, met with Mariam Chubabria, a representative of the International Election Observation Mission of ENEMO (European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations). They discussed several aspects of Moldova’s electoral process.

Boris Volosatîi, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, also discussed the parliamentary elections with ENEMO representatives.

Head of state’s message

Ahead of the September 28 parliamentary elections, President Maia Sandu addressed a message to citizens, emphasizing that the country’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and European future were facing major threats.

The message was broadcast by the public television broadcaster and on social media.

“Alternative” Bloc’s call

The leaders of the “Alternative” Bloc called, during a briefing, for the largest protest on election day, stating:

“On September 28, every citizen can protest democratically, in the voting booth, where no one can see them.”

Igor Dodon’s foreign guests

Socialist Party leader Igor Dodon met with a delegation including Yvan Benedetti, leader of the French “Nationalists” party; Frank Creyelman, honorary senator of the Parliament of Flanders, Belgium; Teodor Goznikar, vice-president of the Slovenian National Party; and Tomas Kryank, a member of the party’s presidium.

During the meeting, Dodon briefed the guests on what he described as “pressure exerted by the globalist PAS regime” against the Patriotic Electoral Bloc.

Parliament reviews Open Parliament Week

Parliament reviewed the results of Open Parliament Week, a series of events dedicated to democracy, transparency and dialogue with citizens.

Between September 13 and 20, 2025, numerous visitors, MPs and officials from the Parliament Secretariat took part in the activities. Open Parliament Week was held for the eighth time.

Bilateral screening process completed

The Republic of Moldova completed the bilateral screening process in Brussels — 15 months of examining national legislation against EU legislation, with more than 100,000 pages of legislation reviewed by experts from Moldovan public institutions.

The final chapter discussed was Chapter 33 — Financial and Budgetary Provisions.

The bilateral screening sessions took place between July 2024 and September 2025 in Chisinau, Luxembourg and Brussels. Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov thanked everyone involved in the process.

Consultations organized by BIE

The Bureau for European Integration (BIE) held public consultations on the Draft Negotiating Positions for the groups of chapters under Cluster III — Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth, Cluster IV — Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity, and Cluster V — Resources, Agriculture and Cohesion.

“Moldoveni” Alliance initiative

The “Moldoveni” Alliance presented, during a briefing, a legislative initiative aimed at strengthening Moldova’s ties with its citizens and their descendants living abroad.

PSDE complaint

The European Social Democratic Party (PSDE) submitted an official complaint to the Central Electoral Commission regarding information revealed by an investigative news portal.

The party asked the CEC to apply the sanctions provided for by the Electoral Code and the CEC regulations in force and to remove the “Greater Moldova” Party from the electoral race, subject to confirmation of the evidence.

Dmitri Torner’s conference

The New Historical Option political party presented, during a press conference, its vision for optimizing public spending and managing public property.

Party leader Dmitri Torner said the first step his party would take to optimize public spending would be to bring the budgets of all ministries, agencies and offices back to 2021 levels.

Results of the national operation

Officers of the National Investigation Inspectorate, together with PCCOCS and the Intelligence and Security Service, supported by members of the “Fulger” Special Police Brigade, carried out a major nationwide operation as part of a criminal case concerning the preparation of mass unrest and destabilization, including the financing of such activities.

The results of the operation were presented at a press conference.

Message from Iwona Piórko

The new Ambassador of the European Union to Moldova, Iwona Piórko, delivered her first message after taking office.

The official emphasized the significance of the moment in which she assumed the position, against the backdrop of what she described as the “crucial” stage of Moldova’s European integration process.

Photograph of Constantin Țuțu

Former Democratic Party MP Constantin Țuțu, who is wanted by Moldovan law enforcement authorities, was photographed at a venue in Tiraspol.

According to reports, he may have entered the Transnistrian region through Ukraine using false documents.

Victoria Furtună’s reaction

After Ukraine imposed sanctions on 11 Moldovan politicians and activists accused of destabilizing the country in Moscow’s interests, promoting pro-Russian narratives and justifying Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, Victoria Furtună, leader of the Greater Moldova Party, said that her inclusion on the sanctions list represented interference by the Ukrainian president in Moldova’s internal affairs, allegedly at the direct invitation of the authorities in Chisinau.

Source: Political Almanac 2025