Bulgaria urges citizens to leave Moldova as tensions rise
A look back at the Bulgarian warning issued on 28 April 2022, after attacks in Transnistria and the halt of Russian gas to Sofia.
Why did Bulgaria tell its citizens to leave Moldova at once? On 28 April 2022, Bulgaria called on its nationals to depart the country immediately by "any available means of transport", citing the "complicating situation" there. It also warned against any travel to Moldova.
The appeal followed a run of events in the region. On 26 April 2022, Moldova's Supreme Security Council held an emergency meeting after attacks in the breakaway region of Transnistria the previous day. President Maia Sandu said the attacks aimed at "destabilising the situation in the region". She added that the military would improve combat readiness and increase patrols on the border with Transnistria.
A second pressure on Sofia
The warning came as Bulgaria also faced a separate difficulty. On 26 April 2022, Gazprom announced it would stop delivering natural gas to Poland via the Yamal–Europe pipeline and to Bulgaria, after both countries rejected Russia's demand to pay for the supply in roubles.
Poland did not expect disruption from the suspension. For Bulgaria, the position was different: the halt posed a serious challenge to security of supply, because the country was almost completely dependent on Russian gas.
Two days after those developments, the travel advice from Sofia showed how seriously the Transnistria attacks were being taken by neighbouring governments.
