Moldovan President Warns Russian Intervention Threats Ahead Of Election

JAKARTA - Moldovan President Maia Sandu warned that election corruption and illegal external funding from Russia poses the greatest threat to parliamentary elections on September 28.

The vote could cause Sandu's leadership of the Action Party and Solidarity to lose a majority in the former Soviet Union's state assembly, which is located between Ukraine and Romania.

"The Russian Federation wants to control the Republic of Moldova from the fall and is preparing for an unprecedented intervention in the September election," Sandu said at a press conference in Chisinau.

The Kremlin denies Russia is trying to interfere in elections.

Four pro-Russian parties said they would form a bloc to press for election wins and overthrow the government, which is committed to achieving EU membership by 2030.

Relations between Russia and Moldova, which was previously part of the Soviet Union, have deteriorated as the Moldovan government accelerates its efforts to integrate with the European Union.

"The biggest danger of Russian interference in our internal affairs is that it poses a direct threat to our country's national security, sovereignty and the future of Europe," Sandu said.

Moldova also accused Russia of interfering in presidential and referendum elections to join the European Union last year. Moscow denies the allegations.

The government says major instruments that Russia can use include voter bribery, cyberattacks, information manipulation campaigns, and paid protests.

"The funding of around 100 million euros is planned through cryptocurrencies only," Sandu said of the funds that he said could be used for election corruption. He did not provide evidence of the allegations.

The poll, published in July put PAS Sandu on 27.4% support ahead of elections, compared to 10.4% for the Socialist opposition.

The Moldovan Central General Election Commission this month declined to register the pro-Russian victory bloc, which was formed in 2024 and supported by the pro-Kremlin fugitive oligarchy, Ilan Shor, for voting on the grounds of violating election funding laws.

Shor considered the decision absurd.