COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/824

| Official Journal of the European Union | EN L series ---|---|--- * * * | 2025/824 | 28.4.2025 ---|---|--- COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2025/824 of 25 April 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) | On 28 April 2023, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 (1). ---|--- (2) | The Union remains unwavering in its support for the Republic of Moldova and its resilience, security, stability, economy and energy supply in the face of destabilising activities by external actors. ---|--- (3) | On the basis of a review of Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 and in view of the continuing threat to democracy and the rule of law, as well as to the stability and security of the Republic of Moldova, the restrictive measures in place should be renewed until 29 April 2026. ---|--- (4) | On the basis of updated information, the entries for six persons and one entity included in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 should be amended. ---|--- (5) | Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 should therefore be amended accordingly, ---|--- HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 is amended as follows: (1) | in Article 8, first paragraph, the date ‘29 April 2025’ is replaced by the date ‘29 April 2026’; ---|--- (2) | the Annex is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision. ---|--- Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Done at Brussels, 25 April 2025. For the Council The President A. SZŁAPKA * * * (1) Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 of 28 April 2023 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova (OJ L 114, 2.5.2023, p. 15, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/891/oj). * * * ANNEX The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 is amended as follows: (1) | under heading ‘A. Natural persons’, entries 1, 3, 8, 9, 14 and 16 are replaced by the following: | | Name | Identifying information | Reasons | Date of listing ---|---|---|---|--- ‘1. | Ilan Mironovich SHOR a.k.a. Ilan Mironovici ȘOR | Function: businessman, president of the political party “SHOR” (“ȘOR”) DOB: 6.3.1987 POB: Tel Aviv, Israel Gender: male Nationality: Republic of Moldova, Israeli State Identification Number (IDNP): 0971007884125 (Republic of Moldova) | Ilan Shor is a Moldovan politician (leader of the ȘOR political party) and businessman from the Republic of Moldova who is involved in the illegal financing of political parties in the Republic of Moldova and in incitement to violence against the political opposition. Before being declared unconstitutional in June 2023, the ȘOR Party, which Ilan Shor leads, was involved in the payment and training of persons in order to provoke disorder and unrest during the protests in the Republic of Moldova. By a decision dated 13 April 2023, the Court of Appeal of Chișinău sentenced Ilan Shor for being guilty of fraud and money laundering in the “Bank Fraud” case to 15 years of imprisonment and the confiscation of assets for a value of EUR 254 million. Funds from this large-scale banking fraud and connections to corrupt oligarchs and Moscow-based entities have been and are still being used, according to authorities of the Republic of Moldova, to artificially create political unrest in the country. His actions directed towards subverting democracy in the Republic of Moldova include providing illegal funding to support pro-Kremlin political activity in the Republic of Moldova. An example of the use of such funds is the organisation of violent protests and rallies, primarily in the capital Chișinău, with the help of protestors paid by the ȘOR Party, throughout 2022 and 2023. After the ȘOR Party was declared unconstitutional, Ilan Shor continued to facilitate Russian influence on the political scene of the Republic of Moldova by illegally financing other parties and attempting to bribe politicians. Through the Russia-based non-governmental association Evrazia and the “Victory” political bloc, Ilan Shor promotes Russian propaganda narratives and coordinates financing activities aimed at influencing the political situation in the Republic of Moldova. By directing and planning violent demonstrations and through his serious financial misconduct concerning public funds and the unauthorised export of capital, and by attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, Ilan Shor is responsible for actions which undermine and threaten the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova. Furthermore, he is associated with Evrazia. | 30.5.2023 3. | Marina TAUBER | Function: Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova (since March 2019) DOB: 1.5.1986 POB: Chișinău, Republic of Moldova Gender: female Nationality: Republic of Moldova | Marina Tauber is the deputy leader of Ilan Shor’s ȘOR political party and a Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. She was charged in the “Bank Fraud” case and she is subject to investigation in two criminal cases in the Republic of Moldova related to the illegal financing from an organised criminal group and the falsification of the report on the financial management of the ȘOR Party. On 20 December 2022, prosecutors conducted several searches in connection with the case of the illegal financing of the ȘOR Party. The authorities of the Republic of Moldova then identified money which, according to the prosecutors, was to be used for organising anti-government protests and remunerating the participants in those demonstrations. In 2023, knives, flammable substances and daggers were seized following protests organised by the People’s Movement, which the ȘOR Party is part of. Violence and altercations between the police and demonstrators were registered, where 54 people were detained, including minors. According to the General Police Inspectorate of the Republic of Moldova, Marina Tauber was among the main organisers of the protests of the ȘOR Party and the People’s Movement. According to the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova, she used special communication instruments in order to give direct instructions to the presidents and vice-presidents of the territorial offices of the ȘOR Party in the country on how to bring people to the demonstrations, how to organise transport and how to receive the money for the remuneration of the people. Moreover, Marina Tauber coordinates financing activities aimed at influencing the political situation in the Republic of Moldova. By directing and planning violent demonstrations and through her serious financial misconduct concerning public funds and the unauthorised export of capital, and by attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, Marina Tauber is responsible for actions which undermine and threaten the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova. | 30.5.2023 8. | Arina Evgheni CORȘICOVA | DOB: 28.12.1974 Gender: female Nationality: Republic of Moldova State Identification Number (IDNP): 0962011898118 | Arina Corșicova leads several communications media trusts in the Republic of Moldova, one of which owns two television channels, “Accent TV” and “Primul în Moldova”, the broadcasting licences of which were suspended by the Republic of Moldova. Despite losing its television broadcasting licence, “Primul în Moldova” continues to disseminate false statements aimed at destabilising the constitutional order of the Republic of Moldova, with support by listed person Ilan Shor. In this context, Arina Corșicova is undermining the democratic political process in the Republic of Moldova. She is a long-time associate of Ilan Shor, having funded his electoral campaigns in the past and being an indirect shareholder of the “Banca Socială”, involved in the “Bank Fraud” case. “Accent TV” and “Primul în Moldova” are financially linked to Vladimir Plahotniuc and Ilan Shor. By undermining the democratic political process and destabilising the constitutional order, Arina Corșicova is supporting actions and policies which undermine and threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova. Furthermore, she is associated with Ilan Shor. | 22.2.2024 9. | Dumitru CHITOROAGĂ a.k.a. Dumitru CHITORAGA | DOB: 23.12.1984 Gender: male Nationality: Republic of Moldova State Identification Number (IDNP): 2002003101445 Passport number: AB1187605 | Dumitru Chitoroagă is the administrator of a media trust which owns several media communication channels in the Republic of Moldova, channels of which he is also the director. Those media communication channels frequently promote messages aimed at obstructing and undermining the democratic political process through evidently false claims regarding the Government of the Republic of Moldova. Moreover, they express manifest support for listed person Ilan Shor and his political party “SHOR” (“ȘOR”). Some of those channels were owned or founded by Ilan Shor through intermediaries. The Republic of Moldova has legally suspended the broadcasting licences of several media channels, including those of “TV6” and “ORHEI TV”, which are under the administration of Dumitru Chitoroagă, for disseminating incorrect information regarding current political events in the Republic of Moldova. Therefore, by obstructing and undermining the democratic political process, Dumitru Chitoroagă is responsible for actions which undermine and threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova. Furthermore, he is associated with Ilan Shor. | 22.2.2024 14. | Nelli PARUTENCO | Function: Founder/Director of Evrazia DOB: 21.3.1962 Gender: female Nationality: Republic of Moldova State Identification Number (IDNP): 0970403899047 | Nelli Parutenco was the treasurer of Ilan Shor’s political party “SHOR” (“ȘOR”), until it was banned. In the context of investigations into the ȘOR Party for illegal financing, she escaped to Moscow in 2022. Nelli Parutenco is now the founder and director of the Russia-based non-governmental association Evrazia, the goal of which is to promote Russian interests in former Soviet republics, including in the Republic of Moldova. Evrazia promotes Russian propaganda narratives, including among young children at youth camps it organises. Evrazia serves as a channel to provide financing from a Russian bank and from Ilan Shor to citizens and infrastructure projects in Gagauzia, as well as a channel for the financing of violent protest trainings for citizens of the Republic of Moldova, organised by Russia. Evrazia funnelled money from Ilan Shor to influence the 2024 presidential elections and the 2024 constitutional referendum on accession to the Union. Evrazia worked closely with Shor’s “Victory” political bloc, providing financial backing and logistical support to bolster Russian influence in the region. Through Evrazia, Nelli Parutenco is therefore attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, thereby threatening the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and democracy, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova. Nelli Parutenco is associated with Evrazia. Moreover, Nelli Parutenco is associated with Ilan Shor. | 14.10.2024 16. | Mihail VLAH | Function: Deputy Governor and media relations advisor to the Governor of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia DOB: 4.2.1978 Gender: male Nationality: Republic of Moldova Passport Number: 2000019014568 | Mihail Vlah is a deputy to the Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia, Evghenia Guțul. He has been appointed by Evghenia Guțul but his appointment was not approved by the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. He is also Evghenia Guțul’s media relations advisor. He met Ilan Shor in Israel to discuss the implementation in Gagauzia of the electoral plans of Governor Guțul. He planned and attended demonstrations against the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, in support of Evghenia Guțul or organised by Ilan Shor or his associates. He publicly gave support to Ilan Shor’s or Evghenia Gutul’s actions. Mihail Vlah is therefore associated with Ilan Shor and Evghenia Guțul. Furthermore, he took part in a violent demonstration, or incited violence, against the Government of the Republic of Moldova and attempted to destabilise the constitutional order by claiming that the Autonomous Territorial Region of Gagauzia has the right to open diplomatic representations abroad. | 14.10.2024’; (2) | under heading ‘B. Legal persons, entities and bodies’, entry 2 is replaced by the following: | | Name | Identifying information | Reasons | Date of listing ---|---|---|---|--- ‘2. | Evrazia – Autonomous non-commercial organisation for the promotion of international cooperation | Type of entity: Autonomous non-commercial organisation Address: Moscow, 127006, Krasnoproletarskaya Street 7, office 4/P, Russian Federation Registration numbers: OGRN: 1247700291200; INN: 9707028663; KPP: 770701001 Website: https://evrazia.su/ | Evrazia is a Russia-based non-governmental association founded by Nelli Parutenco. Its goal is to promote Russian interests in former Soviet republics, including in the Republic of Moldova. Evrazia promotes Russian propaganda narratives, including among young children at youth camps it organises. Evrazia serves as a channel to provide financing from a Russian bank and from Ilan Shor to citizens and infrastructure projects in Gagauzia, as well as a channel for the financing of violent protest trainings for citizens of the Republic of Moldova, organised by Russia. Evrazia funnelled money from Ilan Shor to influence the 2024 presidential elections and the 2024 constitutional referendum on accession to the Union. Evrazia worked closely with Shor’s “Victory” political bloc, providing financial backing and logistical support to bolster Russian influence in the region. Evrazia is therefore attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, thereby threatening the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and democracy, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova. Evrazia is associated with Nelli Parutenco. Moreover, Evrazia is associated with Ilan Shor. | 14.10.2024’. * * * ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/824/oj ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition) * * *