CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) 鈥 Moldova鈥檚 Prime Minister Dorin Recean warned on Wednesday that Russia is spending hundreds of millions of euros to 鈥渢ake power鈥 in a pivotal parliamentary election that could derail the country鈥檚 course toward the European Union.
Recean鈥檚 remarks came days before the election on Sunday, when Moldovans will vote to choose a new 101-seat legislature in a ballot many view as
鈥淭he Republic of Moldova is in an electoral campaign. The Russian Federation is also in an electoral campaign,鈥 he said in an address after a government session. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just that we are campaigning in our country, and the Russian Federation wants to campaign not in its own country, but in our country.鈥
Recean accused the Kremlin of trying 鈥渢o take power in Chisinau, violating the sovereign will鈥 of Moldovans.
鈥淭his is not an ordinary electoral battle,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t is a siege on our country.鈥
The prime minister’s allegations
Recean outlined several ways Russia is allegedly trying to take control of Moldova and diminish support for the pro-European governing Party of Action and Solidarity, or PAS. The party but risks losing it on Sunday, with no other viable pro-European alternatives on the ballot.
They included allegedly orchestrating a large-scale vote-buying scheme, conducting more than 1,000 cyberattacks on critical government infrastructure so far this year, a plan to incite riots around Sunday鈥檚 election, and a to sway voters.
Moscow has repeatedly denied meddling in Moldova. Recean’s remarks also came a day after Russia鈥檚 Foreign Intelligence Service alleged that European politicians were attempting to ensure Moldova stayed in line with its own 鈥淩ussophobic policies.鈥
Moldova鈥檚 westward geopolitical shift in recent years has irked Moscow and tensions between the two countries have significantly soured. Moldova was a Soviet republic until it proclaimed independence in 1991.
In the wake of Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moldova applied to join the EU and was granted candidate status that year. Brussels last year.
Since then, Moldovan authorities have accused Russia of conducting a hybrid war to try to derail the country鈥檚 EU path by meddling in elections, illicitly funding pro-Russian parties and running vast disinformation campaigns to voters ahead of elections.
Last year, Moldovans voted narrowly in favor of securing the country鈥檚 EU path in a referendum, the same day a presidential election was held, which secured pro-Western President Maia Sandu a second term. But those two votes were also , which Moscow denied.
Pro-Russian oligarch accused of meddling
A key figure in the alleged campaign to destabilize Moldova is fugitive pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Shor, who was in a case of $1 billion that went missing from Moldovan banks in 2014.
鈥淭here is evidence, including wiretaps, that proves that vote buying is financed by the Russian Federation,鈥 Recean said. 鈥淭he instrument is the Shor criminal group, and the beneficiaries are several electoral competitors.鈥
Ahead of the election, Moldovan authorities have carried out hundreds of searches and detained dozens of suspects.
This week alone, as part of an investigation into an alleged Russia-backed plan to incite mass riots and . One was allegedly linked to Russia through cryptocurrencies.
鈥淭he increasing evidence of Russia鈥檚 subversive actions is increasing concern in society. I assure you of one thing: the state of the Republic of Moldova is resisting,鈥 Recean said. 鈥淲e are not just resisting, but we are retaliating firmly and we will thwart the Russian occupation plan.鈥
“Dear citizens, the final battle is being fought for the future of our country,” he added. “And I urge you all to participate with an honest vote.鈥
Russia-friendly bloc holds rally in the capital
At a rally on Wednesday organized by the Russia-friendly opposition Patriotic Electoral Bloc, or BEP, in the center of Moldova鈥檚 capital, Chisinau, dozens chanted 鈥渄own with PAS,鈥 and 鈥淒own with Maia Sandu,鈥 referring to Moldova’s pro-Western president.
The BEP is comprised of a group of political parties and has campaigned on promising good relations with the EU and 鈥渘ormalizing鈥 ties with Russia. It has used Moldova-first rhetoric, such as defending the national interest by supporting local agriculture and protecting jobs.
Wednesday’s event was billed a 鈥減eace rally.鈥
One placard read: 鈥淧AS in the last 4 years: not a word about peace.鈥
Nichita Romenschi, a 22-year-old candidate on Sunday鈥檚 ballot for the BEP, told The Associated Press that his party would work for 鈥渟overeignty and independence鈥 for Moldova.
鈥淣eutrality is the guarantee of security for us,鈥 Romenschi said. 鈥淢oldova must have good relations with everybody 鈥 with the EU and Russia. We want the government to have a humane face and the policies to be directed toward the quality of simple people.鈥
Grigore Novac, a member of parliament for the Party of Socialists, said that 鈥渁bsolutely no one should intervene in the electoral process鈥 in Moldova.
鈥淣o one from Russia came here in Moldova to 鈥 deliver some kind of messages, whereas from European structures we saw a suite of them,鈥 Grigore said. 鈥淭his shows that there is an interference in the electoral campaign from them, and this is forbidden by electoral laws.鈥
Last month, the in a show of support to mark the country鈥檚 34 years of independence from the Soviet Union.
