In a dramatic address to the nation, Moldovan President Maia Sandu warned that the country’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and European future are under serious threat. Her statement came just days before the parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday, September 28.
Sandu stressed that the greatest danger facing Moldova remains Russia and its allies. According to her, the Kremlin has allocated hundreds of millions of euros to buy hundreds of thousands of votes both inside the country and within the Moldovan diaspora. Investigations by Moldovan authorities suggest that voters are being bribed and subjected to Russian propaganda spread by online troll farms.
“Moscow’s Goal Is Clear”
“The goal of Moscow is to take control of Moldova, to push it away from the European community, and to secure a convenient foothold for Russian troops to reach Ukraine’s Odesa region more easily,” Sandu warned. She added that if Russia were to seize control of the country, the consequences would be direct and dangerous for the entire region. “All Moldovans will suffer, regardless of whom they voted for,” she emphasized.
Elections Will Decide Moldova’s Political Course
Opinion polls ahead of Sunday’s vote show Sandu’s pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity running neck-and-neck with a pro-Russian alliance of communists, socialists, and other groups opposing Moldova’s integration with the European Union.
