Moldova Narrowly Votes "Yes" to EU Membership

In Brief

Moldova's referendum on EU membership passed with a slim majority of 50.46%, amid claims of Russian interference.

President Sandu said that the former Soviet republic had witnessed "an unprecedented assault" on its democracy.

EU spokesperson Peter Stano condemned the conditions surrounding the vote as "unprecedented interference and intimidation.

The vote reflects deep divisions in Moldova regarding its future alignment between Europe and Russia.

Moldovan authorities accused businessman Ilan Shor of attempting to disrupt the electoral process.

Voters in Chisinau cast their vote. Source: Moldovan Government

Situation Report

The referendum in Moldova on the accession to the European Union took place against the background of an ‘’unprecedented interference’’ on behalf of Russia and its panders, a spokesman of EU has said, quoted by Reuters.

According to data by the Central Electoral Commission, the results of the referendum on Moldova’s accession to the European Union shows that, following the counting of about 99.73 per cent of the official reports, 50.47 per cent of the citizens said YES, while 49.53 per cent opted for NO.

“This vote took place in conditions of unprecedented interference and intimidation on behalf of Russia, in order to destabilize the democratic processes in Moldova,’’ the spokesman for EU, Peter Stano, said.

Russia denies the charges of interference. The Kremlin described the votings in Moldova as ‘’non-free.’’

Before the voting, the Moldovan authorities said that Ilan Shor had made concerted attempts to interfere with the referendum and the elections. The authorities said that they had removed the online sources which hosted misinformation and discovered a programme in Russia on Moldova’s training to take part in mass disorder.

”This is a continuous effort on behalf of Russia and its close friends – not only in Moldova; in fact, also against our countries – and this is a long-term fight. They have no limits. We, as European Union… observe certain principles, including the laws, while Russia and its actors and panders do not observe this,’’ Stano said.