MOSCOW, November 4. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has slammed Moldova’s presidential election in Moldova as the most undemocratic in the entire history of independent Moldova.
"The runoff presidential election was held in Moldova on November 3. According to preliminary data from the Moldovan Central Electoral Commission, incumbent head of state Maia Sandu won the election with 55.33% of votes," she said in a commentary. "It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this was the most undemocratic election campaign over the years of Moldova’s independence. It was marked by unprecedented repressions against the opposition and independent media, first of all, Russia-language media outlets, the West’s undisguised meddling in the electoral process and the extensive use of the administrative resource by the authorities."
"Of special mention is official Chisinau’s discrimination of Moldovan voters living in Russia. Like in the first round of voting, only two polling stations were organized for Moldovan diaspora in our country numbering, according to various estimates, up to 500,000 people," she noted. "For reference: more than 200 polling stations were organized in Western Europe and North America also for about 500,000 Moldovans living there. Moreover, Moldovans were allowed to vote by mail in a number of countries."
Diaspora in the West
According to Zakharova, judging by the vote counting results, Sandu owes her victory to "the votes of Moldovan diaspora living in Western countries, whereas the majority of people living in Moldova, as a matter of fact, voted no-confidence to the incumbent president and the destructive course of the authorities."
"Experts and political analysts point to numerous violations and vote rigging by the authorities. They also draw attention to the non-transparent voting by mail, which opened opportunities for machinations," she noted. "Violations during the electoral process were so numerous and apparent that even the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which is known for its biasedness, could not turn a blind eye on them in its preliminary findings."
Apart from that, Chisinau’s entry denial to three Russian observers from this mission, who had accreditations from the Moldovan Central Electoral Commission revealed Moldova’s "blatant disregard of international norms," the Russian diplomat added.
Split in society
The outcome of the runoff presidential election "exposed a profound split in Moldovan society, which began after the first round of election and the referendum on European Union membership," Zakharova noted. "This polarization stems from the short-sighted policy of the country’s leadership and the West’s flagrant interference into its domestic processes."
"Despite the deplorable situation in Moldova’s democracy, we hope that the republic’s leadership, which stays in power, will not deepen the gap in society and blindly obey Western creditors but will embark on a path of respecting the interests of the majority of their own citizens living in Moldova, not in Western countries," the foreign ministry spokeswoman stressed. "These voters reiterated that they are against dismantling Moldova’s national identity and its neutral status committed to paper in the constitution, that they are in favor of preserving centuries-long ties with Russia, which has been a reliable friend to the freedom-loving Moldovan people over the entire Moldovan history."
According to the preliminary voting results that were released by Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission on Monday after counting 100% of ballots, Sandu won the runoff election with 55.33% of votes, while her rival, former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo scored 44.67%. Under the country’s Electoral Code, the Central Electoral Commission has five days to sum up the election results that are to be endorsed by the Constitutional Court.