Moldova protests Russian election plans in Transnistria amid illicit tobacco crackdowns

Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Russian plans to set up unauthorized polling stations in the breakaway Transnistria region for Moscow's upcoming September legislative elections, describing the uncoordinated decision as "inacceptable" and a direct breach of Moldovan sovereignty.

Domestically, Moldovan law enforcement intercepted an illicit trade network in the north of the country, seizing nearly 1.9 million contraband cigarettes following searches at the residences of two suspects.

Concurrently, health and education authorities have alerted parents to the dangers of nicotine pouches targeting youth. The warning comes as tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris introduced the product shortly before a scheduled legal ban, citing its own legal interpretation to argue that sales remain permissible through June 2027.

Sources: HotNews, Moldova1, Point, Ziarul de Gardă.