Moldova opened two polling stations on the territory of Russia for voting in the presidential elections. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova believes that Russia artificially created queues for them.
This is stated in the message of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova.
As NewsMaker notes, at first it was planned to open five precincts on the territory of the Russian Federation, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova found it impossible "from a logistical point of view" to organize elections in all five precincts.
From the very morning of October 20, when voting began in the elections, as well as in the referendum on European integration, Russian media published videos from polling stations where huge queues were visible.
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova noted that they anticipated the possibility of polling stations overflowing due to attempts to organize illegal transport of voters to them.
"On the eve of the elections, we warned the Russian authorities about the attempts of some subjects to organize transportation of citizens to the polling stations in the premises of our embassy in Moscow. Thus, we believe that the overcrowding of two polling stations in Russia was artificially created with the aim of jeopardizing the election process," the message reads.
The ministry also emphasized that polling stations in Moscow are equipped with the maximum number of ballots — 5,000 for each station.
Russiaʼs influence on the elections in Moldova
The Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova, Cristina Gerasimova, said that Russia invested almost €100 million in attempts to disrupt the presidential elections and the referendum on joining the EU.
According to her, the Kremlin conducted disinformation and destabilization operations in Moldova, as well as bribed voters. Other officials in Chisinau have also noted in recent weeks a number of cases of apparent Russian interference in Moldovaʼs election process through sabotage and vote-buying.
While polls show that the majority of Moldovans support joining the EU, the Kremlin is making unprecedented efforts to destroy the countryʼs democratic institutions. Among Russiaʼs actions is the potential incitement of violence with the help of weapons, explosives and drones, Moldovan police chief Viorel Cernautianu said. He also spoke about Kremlin-led sabotage plans involving more than 300 trained operatives used to provoke protests before the elections. According to him, these plans were coordinated by groups associated with the late head of the Russian mercenary group "PMK Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Earlier in October, Cernautianu said that the Kremlin paid almost 130,000 people (5% of Moldovaʼs population) to support pro-Russian politicians.
Instead, the Kremlin categorically rejects accusations of interference in the presidential race in Moldova. The Russian Federation, meanwhile, accuses the Moldovan government of conducting an "aggressive anti-Russian policy" because of the countryʼs desire to move away from Moscow and join the EU.
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