CHISINAU, September 13. /TASS/. The series of visits by European leaders to Moldova to support incumbent President Maia Sandu ahead of the country’s presidential election on October 20 violates election law, former President Igor Dodon said on Friday.

Commenting on the recent visits paid by the leaders of Germany, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Poland, Luxembourg and other Western politicians, Dodon said that Sandu was getting preferential treatment from the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Moldova, as anyone else would have been removed from the presidential election over such visits.

"Such daily 'pilgrimage' of EU officials to Moldova in support of Maia Sandu is a violation of the law and as well as of the European standards," Dodon wrote on his Telegram channel. "If any other candidate had resorted to something similar, he or she would have been immediately excluded from the presidential race."

"Maia Sandu and her [political] party are grossly violating the law, and European partners are turning a blind eye to it," he continued.

"In recent days we have seen Maia Sandu engage in all sorts of PR stunts," Dodon noted. "Posing with a dog, then with a [boat] paddle, with a glass of wine, then with a cup of kefir."

"It all looks ridiculous and reeks of fear and desperation. She’s in a bad spot, and she will lose the upcoming elections, if, of course, they are honest. We will do everything to make them honest," he added.

Earlier this week, the Moldovan Central Election Commission registered incumbent President Maia Sandu as a candidate for the October 20 presidential election following a verification of voters' signatures in her support.

Sandu is the second presidential candidate to be registered after former Prosecutor General Alexandru Stoianoglo. A total of 13 groups of Moldovan activists submitted applications for nomination of their presidential candidates and started collecting signatures. They need signatures of 15,000 to 25,000 citizens from at least half of the country's settlements.

On election day, Moldova will also hold a referendum to join the European Union (EU). Observers said preparations for the referendum allowed the Party of Action and Solidarity and the government to start Sandu’s election campaign earlier. Ahead of the election, the government shut down major TV channels that provided a platform for the opposition. The election commission earlier denied registration to lawmaker Vasyl Bola, who was supported by the opposition bloc Victory.