Moldovan President Maia Sandu is seen at her campaign headquarters in Chisinau on October 21, 2024. She gained 42 percent of the presidential election vote, which was held in conjunction with a referendum on EU…
Moldovan President Maia Sandu is seen at her campaign headquarters in Chisinau on October 21, 2024. She gained 42 percent of the presidential election vote, which was held in conjunction with a referendum on EU membership.
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“However, there is a distinction between Brussels and the public opinions in EU member states,” she said, noting that accession requires unanimous consent from all 27 members.
“Fears of Russian interference and instability in Europe’s eastern neighborhood could sway public opinion, potentially increasing resistance to Moldova’s EU membership,” Mucznik said.
Brussels has played a critical role in establishing an EU Partnership Mission in Moldova to combat disinformation and hybrid warfare, but “ultimately, decisions on EU enlargement hinge on a delicate balance among EU leaders, their public opinions and Brussels’ priorities,” she added.
Holt said that not every “no” vote in the referendum was the result of Russian influence and not all Moldovan citizens back EU membership. Pro-Russian media, NGOs and political groups, as well as Russian-owned businesses, have flourished in Transnistria and Gagauzia.
“Reducing this influence and building trust in Moldovan state institutions may be a long-term process and future pro-Western governments of Moldova are far from guaranteed,” he said.
“This moment presents a unique opportunity to solidify Moldova’s European aspirations, but it is imperative to prepare for next year’s parliamentary elections,” said visiting fellow at the European University Institute Cristina Vanberghen. The Kremlin “views this as its last chance to exert control over the region,” she told Newsweek.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the referendum for EU membership failed to win decisive support.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was “difficult to explain” how “yes” votes managed to outnumber “no” votes at such a late stage and he repeated previous claims that Moldovan authorities were stifling opposition.
Peskov also described the election campaign as “unfree,” said that the opposition had been denied the opportunity to campaign and that all eyes will be on the second round of voting on November 3.
After getting 42 percent in the first round of the presidential election vote that dovetailed with the referendum, Sandu faces off in the second round against Russia-friendly former prosecutor Alexandr Stoianoglo.
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Publish date : 2024-10-24 23:00:00
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