In a telephone interview on 3 May 1994, a specialist on Moldova for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) provided the following information. Interfront or Intermovement was organized in 1988-89 by the Communist parties in many of the republics of the Soviet Union (ibid.). In Lithuania and Latvia the movement was called "Interfront or Intermovement," and in Estonia and Moldova, the "Internationalist Movement for Unity" (ibid.). The movement aimed to unite Russians and other non-natives to resist the independence movements in the Soviet republics (ibid.).

The same source further indicated that the Internationalist Movement for Unity, also known as Edinsvo, was established in Moldova in 1989; it became inactive in 1991, but recently made a comeback after it registered as a political party in late 1993 (ibid.). Edinsvo formed a political bloc with the Socialist Party and other small political groups, opposing privatization and advocating state control over the economy and on alliance with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (ibid.). The source indicated that in the 27 February 1994 multi-party elections, the coalition won 26 or 27 per cent of the vote (ibid.); Le Devoir indicates that the bloc obtained 20 per cent of the vote, while The New York Times puts the figure at 25 per cent (1 Mar. 1994; 1 Mar. 1994).

For further information on the Internationalist Movement for Unity, please consult the attached documents and Response to Information Request MDA13195.E of 17 February 1993.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Le Devoir [Montréal]. 1 March 1994. "Les électeurs rejettent l'unification avec la Roumanie."

The New York Times. 1 March 1994. "Party Favouring Ties with Russia Builds Lead in Moldova Elections."

Specialist on Moldova, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Munich. 3 May 1994. Telephone interview.

Le Devoir [Montréal]. 1 March 1994. "Les électeurs rejettent l'unification avec la Roumanie."

The New York Times. 1 March 1994. "Party Favouring Ties with Russia Builds Lead in Moldova Elections."

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 11 March 1994. Report on Eastern Europe [Munich]. Vol. 3, No. 10. Vladimir Socor. "Moldova's Political Landscape: Profiles of the Parties," p. 13.