Moldova's referendum and presidential election produced yesterday is a major topic in the Western press. In the referendum, Moldovans were asked to answer the question: “Do you support amending the Constitution so that Moldova can join the European Union?", to which they had to answer with "yes" or with "no".
Moldovan President Maya Sandu condemned the "unprecedented attack" against democracy by “foreign powers”, after the preliminary results of the referendum on Moldova's European aspirations indicate that it is too early to predict the outcome of the vote, reads a headline in the "Financial Times". For weeks before the vote, authorities warned of strong Russian interference, describing their fight against the Kremlin's proxy network and the flow of illegal money intended to buy votes, the British publication noted.
Sandou, who presented the referendum as a historic choice for the former Soviet state of 2.5 million people between a Western course and a return to Russia's orbit, failed to get enough votes to outright win the presidential vote held in the same day, and goes to the second round on November 3. In a terse statement to the press lasting less than 2 minutes at her campaign headquarters late last night, Sandu said her government had evidence that "criminal groups aimed to buy 300,000 votes” to influence the double vote, the "Financial Times" points out.
"Working together with foreign forces hostile to our national interests, they attacked our country with tens of millions of euros, lies and propaganda," Sandu said, quoted by the newspaper. "We will not back down from the defense of democracy and freedom,” she declared, adding: “We await the final results and will respond with firm decisions.”
However, even after about 98 percent of the ballots were counted, the result remains highly contested because of the small margin and the potential influence of voters among the Moldovan diaspora living in the West. This result of the referendum is a surprise for Sandu, after polls showed that about two-thirds of the population supports joining the EU, emphasized the "Financial Times”.
He is likely to give Russia an opportunity to fuel division in Moldova, especially since opposition, both against Sandu and the EU, appears to be concentrated in rural and ethnic minority regions. According to preliminary results, only 5 percent of voters in Gagauzia - a minority region that declared itself independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but then adopted autonomous status within Moldova - voted in favor of the EU, the British publication noted.
In the run-up to voting day, law enforcement agencies warned of a Russian campaign they say was designed to influence the vote, estimating that about $100 million was spent on voter influence and bribery operations . Police said the schemes were intended to bribe ordinary voters, including by using funds brought in by "mules" arriving on passenger flights from Moscow with significant amounts of cash.
Since Sandu's bid for a second term was supported by only 41.77 percent of voters according to preliminary results, she will now face Alexander Stoyanoglo, who came second with 26.42 percent support, in a runoff. which will be held next month. A former chief prosecutor and debutant in politics, Stoianoglo was supported by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova. If other candidates with insignificant shares of the vote stand behind him, next month's race promises to be extremely contested, writes the "Financial Times".
Sandu and her supporters were hoping for a clear "yes" vote, which would mean a clear decision for Moldovans about their future. They were not obliged to call a referendum on EU membership at this stage of the accession process, and some diplomats and observers described it as a risky venture, the British publication said.
However, her team said they wanted to take advantage of a moment when both the president and parliament are pro-European, and the bloc itself is buoyed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, to speed up Chisinau's bid. The EU recently pledged a multi-year package of €1.8 billion to Moldova to help it in its pre-accession phase.
The double vote in one of Europe's poorest countries was seen as a crucial test of Sandu's pro-European agenda, as she urged Moldovans to vote "yes"; in the referendum to confirm EU accession as "irreversible” constitutional purpose, states another British newspaper - "Guardian”. The poor results will disappoint Sandu's supporters and her allies in Brussels. The pre-election polls indicated that Sandu has a comfortable lead over his main rival Stoyanoglo and other candidates, the publication writes.
Fifty-two-year-old Sandu, who is a former adviser to the World Bank, was elected president in November 2020, on the crest of a wave of popularity as an anti-corruption reformer with a pro-European agenda, the "Guardian" recalls. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moldova has oscillated between a pro-Western and a pro-Russian course, but during Sandu's tenure it accelerated its drive to move out of Moscow's orbit, especially after Russia began its war in neighboring Ukraine.
The two votes came amid claims by Moldovan authorities that Moscow and its proxies have staged an intense "hybrid war" to destabilize the country and stand in its way to the EU, the British publication points out.
At 6 a.m. local time today (and Bulgarian time), with 97.66 percent of the votes counted, 50 percent of Moldovans voted "yes"; of the referendum, according to the preliminary results published on the website of the Electoral Commission of Moldova. However, the results may change, as the counting of the votes of the large Moldovan diaspora, which is favorable to joining the EU, is still going on, notes the "Guardian”.
Accusations against Moscow include funding pro-Kremlin opposition groups, spreading disinformation, interfering in local elections and supporting a large-scale vote-buying scheme.
In particular, Moldovan officials have accused fugitive pro-Russian businessman Ilan Shor, a staunch opponent of EU membership, of waging a destabilizing campaign from Moscow. Earlier this month, national police chief Viorel Cernautsianu accused Shore and Moscow of creating an elaborate "mafia" vote-buying scheme and bribed 130,000 Moldovans - almost 10 percent of the electorate - to vote against the referendum and in favor of Russia-friendly candidates in an “unprecedented direct attack”.
Chisinau applied to join the EU after Russia's full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine, which was strongly condemned by Sandu and many in the country, as tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fled to Moldova. In June, Moldova officially began negotiations to join the EU, although skepticism about the country's ability to carry out the necessary democratic and judicial reforms in the near future remains high, the "Guardian" points out.
Observers believe Sandu will now face a runoff against a united pro-Moscow opposition front led by Stojanoglo. The former attorney general, who was sacked by Sandu, called on people to boycott the referendum or vote "no", describing it as "cynical” a move to increase Sandu's popularity, writes the British newspaper.
In an earlier interview with the "Guardian” Stojanoglo denies that he worked for Russia. However, he refused to criticize the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine and called for improved relations with Moscow.
If the question “Do you support the amendment of the Constitution with a view to the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union?“ won “no“, it will be a surprise and a setback for the president of Moldova, says the French in. "Mond“.
"This vote will determine our destiny for many decades to come,”, Sandu said during the vote and invited all citizens, including the large diaspora, to vote in the elections. "The will of the Moldovan people must be expressed,"and not that of other people, not of dirty money,” she added, quoted by the French edition.
Despite her lead in the first round, Sandu cannot be sure of her victory in the second round, notes “Mond”. Stojanoglo can rely on the reserves of votes of much weaker candidates. During his campaign, this stern-looking man called for "restoring justice” and to fight against a government that, according to the opposition, is ready to trample on people's rights, says "Mond". Saying it is for "balanced“ foreign policy to restore relations with Russia, Stoyanoglu did not vote in the referendum, notes the French edition.