Moldovan President Maia Sandu has sharply criticized the recent visit of a Taliban delegation to Moldova, describing the incident as “shameful” and warning that officials responsible for facilitating the trip will face disciplinary action.
Sandu said it was unacceptable for senior government officials to be unaware of Moldova’s foreign policy toward the Taliban. She questioned how the delegation’s visit had been approved, arguing that relevant institutions had failed to properly review the country’s official position on Afghanistan.
According to the president, officials in the Ministry of Agriculture did not verify Moldova’s policy regarding the Taliban before processing the visit. She also criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying it had approved the request despite Moldova’s established foreign policy.
Earlier, Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that visas had been issued to members of a delegation from the Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture. However, the ministry stressed that no official or bilateral meetings with Moldovan authorities would take place during the visit.
The delegation’s arrival also drew criticism from Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, who described the visit as “shameful and unacceptable.” He said it resulted from what he called an error in judgment and a lack of coordination among government institutions.
Despite issuing visas, Moldova has reiterated that it does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. The Foreign Ministry also stated that none of the visiting delegates were subject to international sanctions, while emphasizing that Moldova continues to comply with all applicable international sanctions related to the Taliban.
The visit has sparked debate within Moldova over administrative procedures and the implementation of the country’s foreign policy.
