CHISINAU. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Moldovan President-elect Maia Sandu has been under state protection since November 19, the country's incumbent President Igor Dodon said.
Under the law, Sandu was entitled to state protection within a year after her resignation from the post of Moldova's prime minister, Dodon said.
"This term expired on November 14, the day before the elections. However, Maia Sandu handed in her notice on March 28 that she does not need the services of the State Protection Service. It happened during the state of emergency that was declared due to the coronavirus pandemic. In accordance with the law, the service is obliged to protect such persons, including former prime ministers, over this period. However, Maia Sandu refused to have protection through court on April 23. She has not had protection since then," he said on Friday during the President Igor Dodon Answers program broadcast on social media.
Under the law, officials become entitled to state protection as soon as they take office, he said.
"However, in light of speculation that has emerged on this score, I ordered that state protection be granted to the president-elect. Maia Sandu agreed. She has been under state protection since yesterday," Dodon said.
In 2016, Dodon himself was placed under state protection the second day after the elections, when the preliminary results of the vote became known.
Former Moldovan Prime Minister and head of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) Maia Sandu won the Moldovan presidential election with 57.72% of the vote. Her rival, incumbent President Igor Dodon, received 42.28% of the vote. Turnout at the election stood at 52.78%, or 1.65 million.