The pro-European candidate - president and current head of state of Moldova, Maya Sandu, announced that she had achieved victory in yesterday's runoff of the presidential elections in the country, reported Agence France-Presse, quoted by BNR.
According to data from the counting of nearly 99 percent of the ballots, she received slightly more than 55% of the votes in the contested race against the candidate supported by the pro-Russian parties in the country, Alexander Stoianoglo, according to data from the website of the Moldovan Central Election Commission. Voter turnout was 54%.
"Moldova you achieved victory! Today, dear Moldovans, you gave a lesson in democracy that deserves to be written down in the history books... Freedom, truth and justice prevailed,'' 52-year-old Sandu said. In the first round of the presidential election two weeks ago, she received support of 42 percent to 26 percent for her opponent.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, congratulated Maja Sandu on her re-election as the "European future" of the country. "It takes a rare kind of strength to overcome the challenges you faced in this election. I am happy to continue working with you for the European future of Moldova and its people," von der Alleyen wrote in X.