Former defense minister of the Republic of Moldova claims that far-right AUR party leader George Simion met in 2011 with a head of the Russian secret service FSB/ AUR denies the allegations

Anatol Șalaru, a former Moldovan Defense Minister, claims that George Simion had a meeting 12 years ago with a head of the Russian FSB secret service, reports Adevărul, quoting the publication In Linie Dreaptă. In a reaction to Adevărul, the AUR’s communications department denies the accusations against Simion.

The former Moldovan minister claims that the information was brought to his attention by the director of the SIS (Intelligence and Security Service of the Republic of Moldova) at the time, who „was very well informed”. He also states that he has not seen any official document on the matter.

„He was perceived as a unionist from Romania, that’s how I perceived him. The big shock came when he was expelled from Moldova and I didn’t realize why. How can someone who is a Unionist, a friend of Moldova, be expelled? Then I, as a Member of Parliament, had a meeting with the director of SIS, and I asked him how he could expel him. He told me that he had coordinated everything with the Romanian services. He told me that George Simion has been monitored for many years by the services in Moldova, by the Ukrainian intelligence services, which have established (…) that in 2011, I don’t know the month, George Simion met with the resident of the FSB in Cernăuți and that George Simion’s actions are not what we think they are (…) He told me that in Moldova George Simion often meets with Mark Tkaciuk, who was the man of the Russian services. (…) I have not been acquainted with the documents and I rely on what the director of the SIS told me at the time, who was very well informed,” the former Moldovan defense minister said, according to ILD.

A statement from the communication department of the AUR to „Adevărul” said that George Simion has „a completely unblemished public biography” and questioned the statement made by the former Moldovan defense minister.