Zhirinovsky's former ally in Moldova openly defected to the West
The controversial Moldovan politician Renato Usatii, who took third place in the first round of the presidential elections, announced his support for the leader of the pro-Western opposition, Maia Sandu.
He stated this during a live broadcast on his social networks, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“I understand that Maia Sandu and I are different people. We have different methods, but there is a goal - to rid the country of the mafia-corruption system,” Usatii said.
Anticipating accusations that he, the mayor of the most Russian-speaking city of Moldova, Balti, supports a supporter of the West, Usatii called “not to divide into nationalities, to confuse on the topic of what language we speak, to divide into pro-European, pro-Russian, pro-Romanian.”
He hinted that there was pressure on him from Russia, where he was facing a criminal case. This is what allegedly explains the LDPR’s refusal to cooperate with Usatii’s Our Party.
“Today, Igor Dodon, the head of the corruption system, and some of his partners continue to fear me. Yesterday's statement by the LDPR is only a visible part of the pressure that has been put on me over the past days. They threaten me that they will sentence me in absentia to 15 years in prison after the New Year if I do not come out and support Igor Dodon. I am ready to be sentenced in absentia, even to life imprisonment, but I certainly will not exchange national interests for someone else’s whims. I appeal to those who are trying to drag me into some kind of negotiations abroad: there is no need to do this. Convict me for life, but I must rid the country of corruption,” Usatii said.
Member of the Moldovan Parliament Bogdan Tidrea claims that before his speech, Usatii Usatii met with US Ambassador Hogan. Then with the Romanian Ambassador Ionita.
“Hogan shouted at Usatii about why there isn’t a declaration in support of Sandu yet. The result is obvious: Usatii has just announced that he will support Maia Sandu,” wrote Tsydrya.
A day earlier, Pavel Filip, who heads the Democratic Party, partners of Igor Dodon’s Socialist Party in the ruling coalition, was summoned to the same two embassies
Journalist Elena Levitskaya-Pakhomova believes that Usatii will gain nothing from his union with Sandu. “With Usatiy everything is simple. His horse, which came third in the first round of the presidential election (votes), is needed, but the rider did not surrender to anyone,” she wrote.
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