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Atambaev Under Fire For 'Secretly' Visiting Moldova


BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev's unannounced visit to Moldova is under scrutiny.

A Kyrgyz opposition lawmaker, Ravshan Jeenbekov, demanded that the presidential office explain Moldovan media reports saying that Atambaev had visited Chisinau for several hours on March 15, where he met with the deputy leader of Moldova's Democratic Party, Vlad Plahotniuc.

The next day, Atambaev visited Russia's St.Petersburg, where he held talks with President Vladimir Putin, who appeared in public for the first time in 10 days.

Jeenbekov asked to clarify why Atambaev did not announce his trip to Moldova, what issues were discussed at the meeting with Plahotniuc and who paid for his flight on a private jet.

Atambaev's spokesman, Sapar Isakov, officially confirmed the Kyrgyz president’s visit to Chisinau but said, "it is not time to comment the visit, but I affirm with certainty that the president’s visit as all his other activities have been exclusively based on the national interests of the Kyrgyz Republic."

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