Moldovans narrowly approved the principle of joining the EU on Sunday, but the extremely close result sounds like a snub for pro-European President Maia Sandu who responded by criticizing foreign interference.
The Kremlin immediately demanded “proof” concerning these “serious accusations”, while denouncing “ anomalies ” in the counting of votes in the referendum.
At the same time, the 52-year-old candidate came first in the first round of the presidential election but is preparing for a difficult second round.
After a long race at the head of the “no”, the “yes” finally took the upper hand Monday morning (50.28%), by a few thousand votes, thanks to the vote of the diaspora, after counting of almost 99% bulletins.
In her first official reaction in the middle of the night, the head of state denounced “an unprecedented attack on democracy” and promised “not to give in”.
“Criminal groups, acting in concert with foreign forces hostile to our national interests, attacked our country with tens of millions of euros, lies and propaganda” to “trap our country in uncertainty and instability,” Ms. Sandu told the press, her face serious.
She is due to speak again at 2:00 p.m. (11:00 GMT).
– Difficult second round ahead –
Maia Sandu, who turned her back on Moscow after the invasion of neighboring Ukraine and brought her country’s candidacy to Brussels, had called this referendum to validate her strategy. And determine the “destiny” of this former Soviet republic of 2.6 million inhabitants.
But his bet backfired.
Because this narrow victory, without calling into question the accession negotiations with the Twenty-Seven, “in some way weakens the pro-European image of the population and the leadership of Maia Sandu”, comments for AFP the French political scientist Florent Parmentier, specialist in the region.
The first woman to occupy the highest positions in 2020, this former World Bank economist with a reputation for incorruptibility has become a leading European personality in four years.
In a complicated geopolitical environment, with Ukraine at war and Georgia accused of pro-Russian authoritarian drift, Moldova gave Brussels something to hope for, underlines the expert.
However, after this setback, success for Ms. Sandu in the second round, on November 3, is far from assured.
With 42% of the votes, she is well ahead of Alexandr Stoianoglo (26%), a 57-year-old former prosecutor supported by the pro-Russian socialists.
But it can count on the vote reserves of many small candidates “and the terrible trap of + All against Sandu +” risks closing on it, according to the analyst.
During the campaign, this stern-looking man called for “restoring justice” in the face of a power ready, according to the opposition, to violate rights and pleaded for a “balanced” foreign policy, from the EU to Russia.
– Corruption and disinformation –
Throughout the day on Sunday, Moldovans responded, including those from the separatist region of Transdniestria, which hosts a garrison of Russian soldiers.
“I came to give my voice for the prosperity, peace and well-being of our country,” said Olga Cernega, a 60-year-old economist, interviewed by AFP in Chisinau.
Others, like this sixty-year-old jurist who only wanted to give his first name, Ghenadie, were worried about Moldova’s “western” turn, a loss of identity.
Between corruption and disinformation operations, the police have carried out 350 searches in recent months and carried out hundreds of arrests of suspects accused of wanting to disrupt the electoral process on behalf of Moscow.
A massive vote-buying scheme has been revealed, targeting up to a quarter of voters expected at the polls in the country of 2.6 million people.
According to the WatchDog think tank, Russia spent around a hundred million dollars to influence the vote.
With, in the maneuver, the oligarch Ilan Shor, refugee in Moscow after a conviction for fraud. On social networks, he joked about the “rout” of Maia Sandu and her “lamentable failure”.
