Moldova holds a parliamentary election that could have sweeping consequences for its bid to join the European Union, while it confronts alleged Russian interference in its domestic politics.
Just days before Sunday’s pivotal vote, authorities arrested at least 74 people over an alleged plot to organise “mass riots”.
President Maia Sandu, who has called the ballot “the most consequential” in the country’s history, accused Moscow of waging a hybrid war through disinformation campaigns, illegal financing of political parties, and vote-buying.
Bloomberg reported it had seen documents outlining extensive Russian plans to foment unrest and manipulate the election outcome.
The Sep 28 election could mark a decisive shift: pro-Russian forces are seeking to upend the current pro-EU status quo, with the ruling majority held by Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) at risk.
Sandwiched between war-torn Ukraine and EU and NATO member Romania, Moldova has become a geopolitical battleground between Western-leaning and Moscow-aligned camps.
The election comes less than a year after Moldovans narrowly endorsed pursuing EU membership in a referendum that the government said was marred by Kremlin interference.
