The envoy to Russia was recalled for consultations, Moldova Foreign Ministry said on December 18.

“Because of a recent increase of cases of harassment and intimidation of Moldovan officials and politicians by Russian authorities and a lack of official reaction to the repeated complaints of Moldovan authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration has decided to recall Ambassador Andrei Neguta for an indefinite period,” the ministry said in a statement.

Previously, in March this year, Prime Minister Pavel Filip and parliament speaker Andrian Candu summoned the Russian ambassador to Chisinau to protest against “abusive action” by unnamed Russian intelligence services against Moldovan officials.

In May, five Russian diplomats were declared personae non grata by Moldova.