Moldova referendum results show divisions over country’s future | Wilnesh News

Moldova’s political fate hung in the balance on Monday after a crucial vote on whether to embrace Europe’s future or stay within Russia’s orbit.

Two votes were held in the former Soviet republic over the weekend: one was a presidential election in which current pro-European president Maia Sandu will face a second round against her rival Alexander Stoianoglo. Voters also went to the polls in a referendum on whether the country should make EU membership a national goal and enshrine it in the country’s constitution.

According to a CNBC translation report, Moldova’s Central Election Commission said in a video briefing that based on a provisional count of 98.56% of votes, 50.16% of respondents answered “yes” with a slim majority.

The referendum is the culmination of years of division and uncertainty over whether Moldova should align itself with its Western neighbors or Moscow.

The largely agricultural country, sandwiched between Ukraine to the east and Romania to the west, is often called one of the poorest countries in Europe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it has vacillated between pro-Russian and pro-European governments, such as President Sandu’s current government.

Formal negotiations for EU accession began in JuneBut Sunday’s non-legally binding referendum is seen as solidifying Moldova’s pro-EU trajectory.

The narrow victory for the “Yes” camp that supports the country’s pro-EU direction may be seen as a sign of voter indecision and division, but Moldovan leader accuses Russia of running a campaign to “buy” votes to influence the outcome of the presidential election in her favor. pro-Russian rivals, and the EU referendum as it seeks to maintain influence in what it sees as its “backyard”.

Current President Maia Sandu said: “Criminal groups, in collaboration with foreign powers hostile to our national interests, attack our country with tens of millions of euros, lies and propaganda, using the most shameful means to plunge our country into uncertainty and instability. situation.

“We have clear evidence that these criminal gangs aimed to buy 300,000 votes, a fraud on an unprecedented scale. Their aim was to undermine the democratic process. Their aim was to spread fear and panic in society,” she said added.