On Sunday, the people of Moldova cast two votes. The one on who will be the country’s president for the next four years. The second on whether Moldova should enshrine in the constitution a goal of joining the EU. The election is called a crossroads between east and west. At a press conference, Moldova’s sitting president Maia Sandu said that there is evidence that “criminals” have tried to buy 300,000 votes in the election. She says that the criminals collaborated with foreign forces. – They have attacked our country with tens of millions of euros, lies and propaganda to keep our nation captive in uncertainty, she said on Monday night. Moldovan President Maia Sandu casts her vote in the election. Photo: Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP The previous results on Sunday evening gave the negative side a majority. But throughout the night, the lead has been gained as the votes have been tallied. With just over 1 percent left to count on Monday morning, Jasida had received 50.08 percent. Neisida has received 49.92 per cent, figures from the Electoral Commission show. Maia Sandu has received 42 percent of the votes, while her main rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo, has received 26 percent. Just over half of the residents have voted. – Buy votes Sandu says they will respond strongly when the election results are clear. – Moldova has faced an attack on freedom and democracy in the country, both today and in recent months, which lacks parallel, she said. Moldova, with its 2.4 million inhabitants, is sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania. The country has found itself in the middle of a tug-of-war between the EU and the West on one side, and Russia on the other. The country struggles with corruption, poverty and crime. – One thing that makes Moldova a dangerous country is precisely that it is so corrupt and poor. It makes it much easier to buy electoral votes, for those who want to, says Arve Hansen of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. – And as small as the country is, there are not many votes you need to buy before you actually influence the outcome. This spring, customs officers at the airport in the capital Chisinau caught more than 100 passengers who came from Russia via Armenia, all of whom had just under 10,000 euros in cash. Presidential candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo at a polling station in Moldova today. Photo: Vladislav Culiomza / Reuters They were blamed for wanting to use the money to buy electoral votes against Sandu and the EU. This is being described as the start of what the Moldovan authorities have called an “unprecedented destabilization campaign” from the Russian side. Russia seeks to interfere in the politics of Moldova, writes the BBC. Propaganda campaign Norway’s government announced earlier in the year that they are giving NOK 350 million in aid to Moldova through the so-called Nansen programme. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has been to Moldova twice this year, most recently this week. – Russia is now running a big campaign to try to influence countries in Eastern Europe to become more Russian-friendly again, says Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. – There is a lot of evidence of buying votes, manipulation of information and smear campaigns against incumbent governments. Election workers ask for a “mobile” ballot box with them when they visit voters in Moldova. Photo: Vladislav Culiomza / Reuters In particular, the fight against “LGBT ideology” is used diligently by Russia, which takes advantage of the fact that skepticism and opposition to homosexuality is widespread in Moldova. – There is a lot of propaganda that tries to appeal to a more traditional culture in the countryside, by saying that in the EU you have to celebrate pride all the time and have a lot of gay-friendly laws, says Eide. The Helsinki Committee has worked with the LGBT community and hate crime in Moldova for many years, says Arve Hansen. Hansen believes it is no coincidence that the LGBT movement has become the scapegoat: – It is their way of linking the EU issue to a larger ideological comb. They want to portray it as Russia representing the traditional, Christian and correct, while the EU is degenerate and homosexual. – A money laundering hub There are several reasons why so many people care about Europe’s poorest country. The first, and perhaps the largest, is the country’s 1,200 kilometer long border with Ukraine. – They are very interested in how things are going in Ukraine now. If things go badly for them, they fear that they will be next. In the same way, Ukraine, and Europe to that extent, is concerned that Ukraine should not get a Russian protectorate to its west, says Eide. Many from Moldova who live in Russia also cast their vote in the election. These had met at the embassy in Moscow. Photo: Evgenia Novozhenina / Reuters Since Moldova is not part of the EU, the country exempts many economic regulations. – In combination with poverty and corruption, it has turned the country into a money laundering hub for parts of Europe. Money flows from Russia via Moldova to Great Britain and the Baltics. This is a favorite country for several of the Russian oligarchs, says Hansen. In addition, a large part of the drug, arms and human trafficking that takes place in Europe goes through Moldova. – All this easily spreads to other European countries. This is probably one reason why the EU is very keen to include Moldova in its regulations, says Hansen. Interested in abroad? Listen to the foreign affairs editor’s podcast: Published 20.10.2024, at 19.27 Updated 21.10.2024, at 08.00
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Dead end in Moldova’s EU elections – the president is guilty of interference – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
