Pro-EU campaign won in Moldova despite ‘unfair fight,’ president says

Moldova is on course to join the EU despite Russian-backed efforts to derail its route to membership, the country’s president declared, after a bitterly contested referendum to join the bloc went down to the wire.

In a speech on Monday, Maia Sandu declared victory for the pro-EU campaign, which won with around 50.5 percent of the vote after a long night of counting ballots.

“The people of the Republic of Moldova have spoken, and the majority have endorsed the European path,” said Sandu. “We have won the first battle in a difficult fight that will determine the future of our country. We fought fairly and won justly in an unjust struggle.”

While polls had indicated the country would vote overwhelmingly in support of amending the constitution to enshrine EU membership as a central goal, the razor-edge result left officials shocked and sparked allegations of widespread Russian interference.

“Our enemies want a divided, fearful Moldova; they want Moldovans to doubt their strength and unity,” said Sandu. “Their goal of buying 300,000 votes — and the state institutions documenting 150,000 people being paid to vote — shows that we must carefully examine where mistakes were made and learn from this vile attack on our sovereignty.”

Moscow has been accused of funneling cash through its proxies into the accounts of ordinary voters, as well as using social media to sow fears about the prospect of EU membership leading to a direct conflict with Russia.

The Moldovan government will now have to navigate years of tough talks with Brussels and secure the support of member states for its accession. Officials hope to formally join by 2030, and have told POLITICO that the EU should make a concrete commitment to the timeline.

Sandu also topped the list of candidates in a simultaneous presidential election where she was seeking a second term, with around 42 percent of the vote. However, having failed to achieve an outright majority, she will now face pro-Russian candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo in a second-round runoff.

The parliamentary election next year, she said, would be “one last battle” to fight along the road to EU membership, with Moscow-backed parties intent on changing the country’s trajectory.