Moldovan president Maia Sandu has described the visit by a delegation from the Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture to the country earlier this week as “shameful” and warned that officials responsible for facilitating the trip will face disciplinary action.
Criticizing the process through which the delegation’s travel authorization was issued, Sandu said it was unacceptable for government officials or individuals holding senior positions in the state to be unaware of their country’s official policy toward a particular government or administration.
The Moldovan president stressed that officials at the Ministry of Agriculture had failed to review Moldova’s official policy toward the Afghan government before facilitating the delegation’s entry into the country. She described this as “strange” and said that even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had approved the request related to the visit.
Sandu added that some officials appeared not to properly study the country’s official documents and positions on foreign policy. She stressed that those responsible for the process would face disciplinary measures because of the mistake.
Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that entry visas had been issued to a delegation from the Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture. However, the ministry said that Moldovan officials would hold no official or bilateral meetings with members of the delegation.
The arrival of the Taliban Ministry of Agriculture delegation in Moldova has also drawn criticism from several senior officials in the country. Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan had previously described the visit as “shameful and unacceptable,” saying that authorization for it had resulted from a “misjudgment and institutional lack of coordination.”
However, Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the members of the Taliban delegation who entered the country are not subject to international sanctions. At the same time, the ministry emphasized that Moldova continues to comply with all international sanctions against the Taliban and does not recognize the Taliban government.
The incident comes as Moldova continues to reaffirm its official position toward the Taliban government, stating that the issuance of visas to members of the delegation does not constitute recognition of the Taliban government or a change in the country’s foreign policy.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
