Moldova votes in crucial election as leaders warn of Russian interference

Chisinau [Moldova], September 28 (ANI): Polls opened in Moldova on Sunday for parliamentary elections that could shape the country's future direction, deciding whether it continues its pro-Ukrainian and pro-European Union course or shifts closer to Russia, Al Jazeera reported.
Polling stations opened at 7 am (04:00 GMT) and will close at 9 pm (18:00 GMT), with results expected later in the day. Voters are electing 101 members of parliament, after which the president nominates a prime minister, usually from the leading party or bloc, who then attempts to form a new government.

In the lead-up to the vote, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean warned of alleged Russian interference. He claimed Moscow was spending "hundreds of millions" of euros in what he described as "the final battle for our country's future," accusing Russia of conducting a "hybrid war" to seize power.
However, Russia has denied the allegations, rejecting claims that it is running a disinformation campaign, buying votes, or stirring unrest, Al Jazeera reported.
Pre-election polls showed Recean's pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), in power since 2021, ahead of rivals. However, analysts noted that the surveys did not take into account Moldova's large diaspora, and around a third of voters remain undecided.
The pro-Russian Patriot Electoral Bloc has sought to capitalise on public discontent over economic struggles, the slow pace of reforms, and what officials say is widespread disinformation. The bloc includes the populist Our Party, which has called for a "balanced foreign policy" between East and West, and the Alternativa Bloc, which critics argue is aligned with Moscow despite its pro-European claims, according to Al Jazeera.
On Friday, President Maia Sandu urged Moldovans to recognise the stakes, calling the parliamentary vote the country's "most consequential election." "Its outcome will decide whether we consolidate our democracy and join the EU, or whether Russia drags us back into a grey zone, making us a regional risk," she said on X.
Recean reiterated his call to voters to resist Russian influence. "I call on every Moldovan at home and across Europe: We cannot change what Russia does, but we can change what we do as a people," he said. "Turn worry into mobilisation and thoughtful action ... Help stop their schemes," Al Jazeera reported.
Moldova, a landlocked country between Ukraine and EU member Romania, was granted EU candidate status in 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (ANI)