The presidential elections have also taken place, which current President Maia Sandu won, albeit without an absolute majority, so the pro-Russian candidate will have to compete in the second round. Sandu accuses the Kremlin of buying thousands of votes to derail the ‘yes’ victory.
The citizenship of Moldavia rejected this Sunday, against all oddsHe entry into the European Union (EU)in a constitutional referendum, which the Moldovan government suspects Russia has manipulated.
‘We have evidence and information for that a criminal group that planned to buy 300,000 votes. This is an unprecedented fraud aimed at endangering democracy. Their aim is to sow fear and panic in society,” Maia Sandu, the Moldovan pro-European president, said in a very brief appearance before the media.
The plebiscite coincided with the presidential elections in which Sandu won, although he did not obtain an absolute majority. As things stand, the Liberal candidate will face the pro-Russian candidate, Alexandr Stoinanoglo, next month.
Although previous polls projected a “yes” victory, according to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), 53.96% of Moldovans voted against European integration and only 46.04% were in favor of controlling almost 90% of the votes.
Election day has the clear division in the former Soviet republic between those who support EU membership – Romanian speakers, youth and diaspora – and those who oppose the break with Russia, which also includes the Russian speakers, the ‘nostalgics’ and the elderly.
The shadow of Russia and the crisis in Moldova
Although the president, without explicitly naming him, has accused the Kremlin of fraud and fugitive oligarch Ilon Shor, who was accused by the Moldovan Public Prosecutor’s Office on the eve of the vote of setting up a fraudulent plan from Moscow to carry out such Buy 130,000 votes with $15 million deposited. at Russian banks.
In recent weeks, both the EU and the United States have denounced numerous attempts by Moscow to “destabilize the situation in Moldova in view of the pro-European referendum,” for which they approved new sanctions packages against Russia.
However, it must be taken into account that Moldova is not at its best. The country shares a border with Ukraineso the war has had a major impact on the national economy due to the arrival of more than one million refugees, of which more than 120,000 are still in the country, according to UNHCR. In addition, the consequences of the pandemic and the energy war with Russiawhich has led to inflation.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
