Chisinau warns EU countries of possible Russian interference in diaspora voting

According to the agency’s interlocutor, who requested anonymity, the targets for Russia could include polling stations in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Canada, Romania, the U.S., and the U.K. There may be false reports of bomb threats specifically aimed at disrupting the voting process. 

“The goal is to interrupt the voting process during evacuations (due to the bomb threat) and police checks,” the agency quoted the Moldovan message to a European official. 

Moldova has also requested that procedures and protocols be applied that do not disrupt the voting process. 

As noted by Reuters, Moldovan voters living in the West are considered pro-European and are therefore more likely to support Maia Sandu, who advocates for Moldova's aspirations to join the European Union. 

On Nov. 3, Moldova is holding the second round of presidential elections, which features the incumbent pro-Western President Maia Sandu and former Prosecutor General of Moldova, Alexandr Stoianoglo, who is backed by the pro-Russian Socialist Party. 

Elections in Moldova

In the first round of elections on Oct. 20, none of the 11 presidential candidates received more than 50% of the vote, leading the Central Election Commission to announce a second round of elections would be organized. 

On the same day, a referendum on Moldova’s euro-integration was held. The counting of ballots showed that the number of votes in favor of the country's euro-integration was nearly equal to the number of votes against it. Entry into the EU was supported by 50.39% of voters, while 49.61% voted against. 

On Oct. 21, EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano stated at a briefing in Brussels that there was unprecedented interference from Russia and its proxies in the voting in Moldova. On Oct. 22, it became known that Moldovan law enforcement is investigating over 400 cases of voter bribery during the first round and the referendum. 

On Nov. 1, media reported that Moldovan citizens began receiving anonymous death threat calls allegedly from the ruling party Action and Solidarity ahead of the second round of elections.