BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) 鈥 Moldovan President Maia Sandu warned Tuesday that her country鈥檚 democracy faces a 鈥渞ace against time鈥 from what she said was attempts by Russia to influence parliamentary elections this month.
In a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Sandu said the Sep. 28 vote to choose a new 101-seat legislature would be the 鈥渕ost consequential鈥 election in the European Union-candidate country鈥檚 history.
Sandu reiterated long-held allegations that Moscow is conducting a sprawling 鈥 鈥 against Moldova 鈥 through disinformation, vote-buying, illicit party funding, and myriad other tactics 鈥 to try to undermine the upcoming vote and derail Moldova鈥檚 path toward EU membership.
鈥淭he Kremlin鈥檚 goal is clear: to capture Moldova through the ballot box, to use us against Ukraine, and to turn us into a launchpad for hybrid attacks on the European Union,鈥 Sandu said. 鈥淚f cannot be protected, then no democracy in Europe is safe.鈥
Sandu said the election outcome will determine whether Moldova becomes a stable democracy or whether alleged Russian destabilization pulls Moldova away from Europe. 鈥淭oday we face an unlimited hybrid war on a scale unseen before the full invasion of Ukraine,鈥 she added.
Moscow had repeatedly denied meddling in Moldova.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told Sandu before her speech that 鈥渨e are all deeply impressed by your determination, courage, and steadfast commitment to Moldova鈥檚 people,鈥 and that the chamber stands united in support of Moldova’s democratic path toward EU membership.
The EU Parliament will debate later on Tuesday a resolution on strengthening Moldova鈥檚 resilience against Russian 鈥渉ybrid threats and malign interference.鈥 It is expected to vote on it on Wednesday.
Sandu’s remarks on Tuesday come weeks after the in a show of support to mark the country鈥檚 34 years of independence from the Soviet Union.
Moldova’s upcoming parliamentary election will be pivotal to the country鈥檚 geopolitical course: whether it can stay convincingly on its EU path or be dragged back into Russia’s orbit.
鈥淚t is a race against time, to anchor our democracy inside the (European) Union, where it will be protected from the greatest threat we face: Russia,鈥 Sandu said.
The pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity, or PAS, which Sandu founded in 2016, but risks losing its majority in the Sep. 28 vote, with no clear pro-European alternatives on the ballot.
In the aftermath of Russia鈥檚 full invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022, Moldova applied for EU membership and was granted candidate status that year. Brussels last year.
鈥淧recisely because we have advanced greatly on this path, Russia has unleashed its full arsenal of hybrid attacks against us,鈥 Sandu said. 鈥淭he battlefield is our elections.鈥
Last year, Moldovans voted narrowly in favor of securing the country鈥檚 EU path, the same day a presidential election was held, which secured Sandu a second term. But those two votes were also , which Moscow denied.
Siegfried Muresan, Chair of the European Parliament鈥檚 delegation to Moldova, said in a statement that 鈥淢oldova is a priority for EU security, not just EU enlargement鈥 and that 鈥渁 stronger Moldova means a weaker Russia at our borders.鈥
鈥淭his is why, in this week鈥檚 plenary, we will vote on a resolution reaffirming strong support for Moldova鈥檚 EU path,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e will also call on the Council to start negotiations on the first cluster of Moldova鈥檚 accession process.鈥
Sandu鈥檚 warnings came a day after Romania鈥檚 anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, arrested a 47-year-old former senior official in Moldova鈥檚 Intelligence and Security Services on alleged treason charges. The case was part of a being built in Europe by , according to Czech counterintelligence.
Romanian prosecutors allege the Moldovan suspect disclosed state secrets to Belarusian intelligence officers that could 鈥渆ndanger national security,鈥 DIICOT stated.
Belarus is led by authoritarian , who is a of Russian . Lukashenko let Russia use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for , and later allowed the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles.
鈥淩ussia is using Belarus to attack Europe, and wants to do the same with Moldova,鈥 Muresan added. 鈥淏elarus has been a satellite for Russia鈥檚 war against Ukraine and EU democracies since day one.鈥
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Stephen McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, U.K; Karel Janicek contributed from Prague, .
