Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the parliamentary elections in Moldova as a "shameful circus", TASS reported.
"I think this is literally the brightest reason to think about what the manipulation of democracy according to Western templates leads to. Because this cannot be defined in any other way than as some shameful circus," Zakharova noted. According to her, Moldovan political scientists were hard-line in their assessments of the elections. "They called them a farce and an imitation. "This, in my opinion, is the most appropriate definition - this is an operation to save the Chisinau regime, which has actually turned into a real shameful circus," added the spokeswoman for the Russian diplomatic department.
Zakharova also stated that methods "that have nothing to do with freedom and democracy" were used during the voting. "A whole arsenal of anti-methods was used - political pressure, intimidation, threats, blackmail," she said. "According to human rights activists, law enforcement agencies carried out about 580 searches and dozens of arrests. Have you seen such elections anywhere? Opposition parties and entire electoral blocs were excluded from the election race even on voting day," Zakharova added.
The parliamentary elections in Moldova took place on September 28. According to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission, the ruling pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity will receive 55 seats in the 101-seat legislature. The Patriotic Bloc, made up of pro-Russian parties, came in second with 26 seats, followed by the pro-European Alternative bloc with 8 seats. The Our Party and Democracy at Home parties will receive 6 seats each.