CHISINAU, August 4. /TASS/. The Chisinau Court of Appeal has restricted the activities of the opposition Heart of Moldova party, led by former Gagauzia head Irina Vlah, for 12 months.

"The court has established that the restriction period shall be calculated from September 25, 2025, when the preventive measure suspending the party’s activities was imposed for the duration of the proceedings," the judges said as they read out the ruling.

Vlah previously called on the Moldovan authorities to end pressure on her party and urged the Justice Ministry to withdraw its lawsuit. She cited a May 27 decision by the Central Election Commission, which found no evidence that Heart of Moldova had received financing from Russia.

In June, Moldova’s Constitutional Court upheld the suspension of six opposition parties that had been barred from the 2025 parliamentary election at the Justice Ministry’s request. Heart of Moldova was among them.

Ahead of last year’s parliamentary election, the Moldovan Justice Ministry asked a court to dissolve parties belonging to the Victory bloc, accusing them of links to the Shor party, which was disbanded in 2023. The ministry also separately sought to suspend Heart of Moldova and Greater Moldova. The two parties were charged with financial violations and barred from the election. Their leaders rejected the allegations, saying the decisions were orchestrated by the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity and President Maia Sandu to eliminate political rivals.

The Party of Action and Solidarity retained control of parliament following the election, but the opposition accused it of electoral fraud and usurping power. Foreign election observers also reacted negatively to the measures taken against opposition parties.