Moldova’s EU Referendum Was Neither Free Nor Fair

Andrew Korybko
Andrew Korybko's Newsletter

Moldova is a deeply divided society as the latest referendum results show even if one ignores credible suspicions of fraud in support of the winning side

Moldovan President Maia Sandu boasted about how the referendum that she initiated for joining the EU narrowly passed despite the allegedly “unfair fight” against her side that she blamed on allegedly foreign-backed “criminal groups” who supposedly tried to buy off 300,000 votes. EU spokesman Peter Strano was more direct in declaring that “We noted that this vote took place under unprecedented interference and intimidation by Russia and its proxies aiming to destabilize the democratic processes.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov demanded that “some evidence (of this purported fraud) be presented to the public” and questioned the results after a dramatic late turnaround for the pro-EU side that suspiciously resembled what happened in some swing states during the US’ 2020 elections. The opposition also reported hundreds of violations while Irish journalist Chay Bowes claimed that Moldova only made 10,000 ballots available in Russia despite half a million expats being eligible to vote.

It also deserves mentioning that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Moldova earlier this month where she promised its people nearly $2 billion in financial support from her bloc over the next three years. Moreover, the lead-up to this referendum and the presidential election that were held on the same day (the first round of which Sandu won so a run-off will be held on 3 November) saw state-sponsored repression of the opposition, including defamatory claims that they’re backed by Russia. All of this made Moldova’s EU referendum neither free nor fair.


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