Nicu Popescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Government led by Maia Sandu, recalled Moldovan ambassador to the USA, Cristina Balan, for consultations. According to the order signed by Nicu Popescu, the ambassador’s presence is requested for Friday, June 14, 2019 in Chisinau.

“I seek to inform the public opinion about the fact that, through an order I signed today, the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the United States, Mrs. Cristina Balan, was recalled to Chisinau for consultations. Additionally, I informed the US authorities about the decision and its motivations, with the mention that any actions taken by Ambassador Balan from now on do not represent the position of the legitimate Moldovan authorities, ” said the Foreign Minister of the Maia Sandu Government.

Cristina Balan’s candidacy to the position of ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the United States of America was advanced by Democrat Vlad Plahotniuc. The decree appointing her was signed by President Igor Dodon on May 31, 2018.

Since April 2017, Cristina Balan served as the Vice President of PDM, responsible for international relations and party diplomacy. She is an economist and holds a management degree from the Free International University of Moldova.The name of Cristina Balan appeared in a 2015 investigation of  Rise Moldova “Plahotniucleaks”. According to journalists, Cristina Balan, who was then general manager of the Business People’s Association of Moldova, where Vladimir Plahotniuc was President, represented the interests of off-shore Power Investment LLC, one of the companies that controlled Finpar Invest SRL, the oldest company of the Plahotniuc family, founded in 1993. In 2008, Cristina Balan also represented the Cypriot company Daranian Holdings Ltd., which bought the State Enterprise Codru hotel complex for 50.3 million lei, property, which later was transferred to Finpar Invest SRL.