Moldovan President accuses Russia of “unprecedented” interference in parliamentary elections

Russia is preparing unprecedented interference in Moldovaʼs parliamentary elections scheduled for September.

Moldovan President Maja Sandu said this after a meeting of the Supreme Security Council, local media outlet News Maker reports.

Sandu reported that the Kremlin is investing in several political projects to get its people into the next parliament. All of these projects are coordinated from a single center and are largely financed through the schemes of Ilan Shor, the leader of the pro-Russian “Shor” party, who is suspected of attempting a coup.

In particular, according to Sandu, Russia is trying to bribe voters. It is planned to channel about €100 million through cryptocurrency alone.

It also involves organizing a campaign of disinformation and manipulation of public opinion.

Among other attempts at influence:

• organizing paid protests;
• cyberattacks on digital infrastructure related to elections;
• use of the church in the interests of a foreign state;
• engaging so-called opinion leaders and online influencers to spread messages directed against the countryʼs European course;
• sabotage of voting in the diaspora, etc.

"Russian interference poses serious risks to public order and national security, and most importantly, it could seriously undermine the countryʼs sovereignty and our European future," Sandu stressed.

• This is not the first time Russia has attempted to influence Moldovaʼs political system. In October 2024, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Cristina Gherasimov said that Russia had invested almost €100 million in attempts to disrupt the presidential elections and the referendum on EU accession.
• According to Bloomberg, Russia also recruited 130 000 Moldovan citizens to disrupt the referendum.

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