Moldova's Supreme Court has upheld a decision preventing the political bloc Pobeda/Victorie from participating in parliamentary elections, confirming the ban on the group led by fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, Descide reported on August 2.

The ruling confirms the earlier decision of the Central Court of Appeal, which supported the Central Electoral Commission in rejecting the bloc's registration. The CEC initially denied registration to the Pobeda bloc on July 19, citing that it represented the successor to the Shor Party, which had been declared unconstitutional.

Under Moldovan law, banned parties are prohibited from resuming activity under new political structures. The Supreme Court's ruling renders the CEC's decision final, effectively barring the bloc from officially fielding candidates or supporting them.

Representatives of the Pobeda bloc condemned the verdict, alleging judicial pressure and bias. "We were denied justice without analysing the essence of the case, without arguments. Without the desire to listen to our position," the bloc said in a statement posted on social media, adding that it intends to lodge a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights.

Shor, a businessman and political figure convicted in connection with the 2014 "bank fraud" scandal, is currently residing in Russia and is coordinating his allies from Moscow. He has sought to maintain political influence through multiple parties and electoral blocs despite the ban on his original party.

In addition to the Pobeda bloc, the CEC has also prohibited other Shor-affiliated political entities from contesting the elections, including the Alternative and Salvation Force of Moldova, the Sansa Party, and the Victorie Party.

The decision comes as Moldova prepares for parliamentary elections whilst facing ongoing concerns about foreign interference in its political processes.