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The EU has not yet officially commented on the results of the referendum and the first round of elections in Moldova, but they remind of the conditions under which the electoral campaign took place.
This was stated by Peter Stano, spokesperson for the EU’s External Action Service, at a briefing in Brussels on Monday.
He noted that the EU was closely monitoring both votes — the referendum and the presidential elections in Moldova.
“We are aware that this vote took place amid unprecedented interference and intimidation by Russia and its proxies, who tried to destabilize the democratic process in Moldova,” Stano said, highlighting, in particular, attempts to buy votes and “massive propaganda” by Russia and its proxies.
He emphasized that these efforts to undermine the vote had been ongoing not for weeks, but for months, long before October 20.
Stano added that the EU is waiting for the final announcement of the official results of both votes and the statements of the observation missions. “After that, we will issue our official response,” the spokesperson said.
European Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer added that the EU continues to fully support Moldova’s aspiration to join the European Union.
Data from Moldova’s Central Election Commission, after counting 99.46% of voters’ ballots, confirmed a positive response from Moldovan citizens in the constitutional referendum regarding EU accession — albeit by a very narrow margin.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu believes that there was no fair political process in the elections and referendum in Moldova. Sandu claims that the authorities have evidence of large-scale vote buying.
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