Moldova prepares for an EU referendum and presidential election held under Russia's shadow

euronews (in English)

Moldovan citizens will vote on whether to formally add EU membership aspirations to their country's constitution. A win for pro-Europeans and Maya Sandu’s re-election could increase tensions with pro-Russian separatists.

Transcript

00:00Moldovans are getting ready for Sunday's referendum on EU accession and also the presidential

00:11election in a tense atmosphere.

00:14Talking to Euronews, Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova's pro-EU government said Russia

00:18is using a variety of means to influence the voters.

00:23We have seen, unfortunately, a full-scale operation using the classical toolbox of Kremlin

00:32but at the same time applied at an unprecedented scale.

00:37We see dirty money flowing into our politics, the use of local proxy parties to destabilize

00:44the situation, to bribe potential candidates but also voters in the elections.

00:51Of course we see a very, very strong disinformation campaign, propaganda targeting primarily the

00:58EU.

00:59The result of the referendum will determine whether EU membership will be included in

01:04the constitution, which requires more than half of the votes to support it.

01:09However, this result could lead to further tensions as there is a de facto control of

01:15pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.

01:20There were many concerns about the Transnistrian region to be destabilized in the last couple

01:28of years, particularly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

01:33We've managed to keep the situation calm and stable for the country and we hope to continue

01:39doing the same.

01:41According to the latest polls, the incumbent pro-EU president, Maya Sandu, is the favorite

01:46to win the presidential race and also a majority is expected to vote in favor of EU accession

01:51in the referendum.

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