Moldovan President Maia Sandu has accused Russia of seeking to influence the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for September, alleging that Moscow is preparing an “unprecedented operation” to install its loyalists in the Moldovan parliament.
According to Sandu, Russia aims to control Moldova by autumn and is orchestrating extensive interference, including vote-buying and illegal funding through cryptocurrencies, with an estimated budget of 100 million euros allocated for these activities.
The President further warned of a planned “information manipulation campaign”, coordinated cyberattacks, and the organization of paid violent protests, supported by traditional religious institutions.
Sandu identified supporters of the pro-Russian politician Ilan Shor as key actors in these efforts, labeling him as the leader of a “criminal group” intent on destabilizing Moldova via demonstrations and a vote-buying network.
She emphasized that Russia is financing “sovereigntist” factions that promote Euroscepticism and seek to subordinate Moldovan interests to Moscow.
“All these initiatives are coordinated from a command center in Moscow,” Sandu stated, as reported by AFP.
Recent polls show that Sandu’s ruling coalition holds approximately 39% support, while the pro-Russian Socialist Party commands less than 15%. Notably, about 30% of voters remain undecided.
Additionally, Moldovan authorities revealed that over 140,000 citizens are under investigation for allegedly receiving money to vote in last year’s presidential elections, in a country of just 2.5 million inhabitants.
