Moldova: Even in the EU referendum

After counting 97.7% of the votes, the supporting side obtained 49.9%, compared to 50.1% for the rejecting side. Only a few thousand votes were separated.

As more votes from the Chisinau metropolitan area were counted among the final votes, the difference narrowed from several percent to a few tenths of a percentage point.

On the eve of the elections, Moldova's President Maia Sandu commented on the leadership of the rejectionist side, as a result of which democracy and freedom in the country were “attacked on an unprecedented scale.”

According to her, Russian influence operations have been going on for several months.

Sandhu was driving in the back The decision by which Moldova applied for EU membership in 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A pro-Western government has led the country since 2021. The referendum was a way for her and Sandu to try to prove that Moldova's future should be sought in the European Union. But membership negotiations are expected to continue for many years.

In addition to the White House, the European Union Parliament and Moldovan authorities indicated that Russia tried to influence the elections and steer the country away from the European Union and the West.

Opinion polls ahead of Sunday's referendum and presidential elections indicate yes to the EU's path.

In the presidential election, Maia Sandu, who wants to be re-elected, received the most support, about 42 percent. But a runoff will be held on November 3 against the pro-Russian candidate Alexander Stoyangelo, who appears likely to receive about 26% of the votes.

There are suspicions between Another about a massive lobbying campaign, where the votes of hundreds of thousands of people may have been bought by pro-Russian groups. This week, more than 100 Moldovans said to have been trained in Moscow to create chaos around the vote were also arrested. Russia denied interfering in the elections.