Lithuanian president says Moldova can counter Russian influence
Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
Publication Date | 23 April 2015 |
Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Lithuanian president says Moldova can counter Russian influence, 23 April 2015, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/5565ba2932.html [accessed 25 December 2015] |
Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 23, 2015
By RFE/RL's Moldovan Service
CHISINAU – On a visit to the Moldovan capital, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has said economic stability and the rule of law would help Moldova confront pressure from Moscow.
Grybauskaite Grybauskaite, a vocal critic of the Kremlin, spoke to RFE/RL's Moldovan Service in Chisinau on April 22.
"Some kind of oligarchs mixed with corruption, with government, with media, that's not the best cocktail for any state," Grybauskaite said.
"It's very easy to influence such a state with economic sanctions," she added.
In the past 25 years, Grybauskaite said, Lithuania has gone through "a few huge campaigns" of Kremlin-backed sanctions targeting the country's energy sector.
But Lithuania, dependent for allits gas imports from Russian monopoly Gazprom, built a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal last year.
"Today, we can say thank you very much, we don't need Gazprom." Grybauskaite said.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website