Russian journalist Irada Zeinalova barred from entering Moldova
CHISINAU. Jan 17 (Interfax) - Irada Zeinalova, a journalist from the Russian television channel NTV, has been barred from entering Moldova, since she could not explain the purpose of her visit, the Moldovan Border Police told Interfax.
The incident happened at the Chisinau International Airport on Tuesday evening. Zeinalova, the host of NTV's Itogi Nedeli (Summary of the Week), had arrived in Chisinau from Istanbul.
"Russian citizen Irada Zeinalova was barred from entering Moldova, as she could not confirm the purpose of her visit to the republic. She had arrived in Chisinau from Istanbul. The woman said at border control that she had appointments for meetings with officials but could not provide documents confirming this. It was decided to bar her from entering the country, and she was sent to Moscow on the next flight on Tuesday evening," the border service said.
This is not a long-term entry ban or a deportation, it said.
This is not the first time Russian journalists have been denied entry to Moldova.
In 2017, Moldova denied entry to Rossiiskiye Vesti editor-in-chief Dmitry Yermolayev, Argumenty i Fakty editor-in-chief Igor Chernyak, Komsomolskaya Pravda correspondent Darya Aslamova, VGTRK journalist Marina Safronova, TV producer Alexei Samolyotov, political analyst Mikhail Delyagin, and other commentators and public and cultural figures. In July 2017, Moldova declared Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is also the Russian president's envoy for Transdniestria and co-chairman of the Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, persona non grata.
Moldovan President Igor Dodon earlier condemned the entry bans and promised to look into the situation.