Moldova investigates ‘organized transportation’ of voters from Russia

Moldova announced on Sunday that it was investigating the alleged establishment by Russia of “organized transport” to allow Moldovan nationals residing on its soil to participate in the second round of a presidential election crucial for the future of the former Soviet republic. “There is reasonable evidence of organized voter transportation both abroad and within the country”the police said in a press release.

“National authorities are investigating to gather evidence about flights linking Russia to Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkey” to allow its residents to vote in the Moldovan consulates or embassies of these countries, she added. The objective is to “preserve the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that every vote is cast freely, without undue pressure or influence”.

Pro-European President Maia Sandu, who is seeking a second term, has repeatedly warned against foreign interference “unprecedented”notably through massive vote buying which marred the referendum on the EU on October 20, according to Chisinau but also Brussels and Washington. The Kremlin has “categorically” rejected these «graves» allegations.

“Massive interference from Russia”

Sunday, the candidate once again called for mobilization in the face of “scammers” acting “in an organized manner”. His national security adviser, Stanislav Secrieru, spoke on the social network “massive interference from Russia”mentioning charter flights and buses, notably from the separatist province of Transnistria which hosts a garrison of Russian soldiers. In front of polling stations in the municipality of Varnita reserved for residents of this region, long queues formed in the afternoon, AFP journalists noted, against a backdrop of increasing participation rates.

The Russian state agency Tass, for its part, reported spontaneous trips by Moldovans, ready to fly several hours and spend their savings to be able to vote. Voters interviewed by the official Belta news agency say they came to Belarus because of voting restrictions in Russia, where only two polling stations are open. “Maia Sandu prevents us from voting normally, so we came to Minsk”said one of them, Sergei Rotaru. The outgoing head of state, a fervent pro-Western 52-year-old who turned her back on Moscow after the invasion of neighboring Ukraine, faces Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor supported by pro-Russian socialists, in an upcoming election tight.