CHISINAU, July 1. /TASS/. The EU-Moldova summit to be held in Chisinau on July 4 is intended to shore up the ruling regime of President Maia Sandu and her Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections on September 28, and represents gross interference in Moldova’s domestic affairs, Igor Dodon, leader of the country’s largest opposition force — the Party of Socialists — and former president, told TASS.
"The summit was organized to save PAS and Sandu, whose poor governance has plunged the country into a severe economic crisis and is now dragging it toward war, from defeat in the upcoming elections. What business does [European Commission President] Ursula von der Leyen have in Chisinau now, on the eve of the election campaign? Why does French President [Emmanuel] Macron feel entitled to say that ‘they will closely follow the elections in Moldova and fully support Maia Sandu’? This is blatant interference in the domestic affairs of a country whose constitution mandates permanent neutrality," Dodon stated.
He added that representatives of the Socialists appeared at Moldova’s Foreign Ministry today to protest and to warn that they would not allow manipulation at over 200 polling stations abroad, "as was the case in the presidential election, which Sandu lost domestically to former Prosecutor General Alexander Stoianoglo."
"We will do everything to ensure that every polling station abroad includes opposition representatives. If there is fraud, we will not recognize the elections," Dodon emphasized.
The opposition leader also reminded that the use of public administrative and financial resources in election campaigns is prohibited by law and criticized the disparity in the number of polling stations abroad. "In Italy, about 60 polling stations have been established for 200,000 citizens, while in Russia there are only two for 300,000 voters," he pointed out.
The EU-Moldova summit on July 4 is expected to involve European Council President Antonio Costa, Ursula von der Leyen, and delegations from EU member states. Ahead of last October’s presidential elections, the head of the European Commission also visited Chisinau, calling for Sandu’s re-election and supporting a referendum on EU accession. However, both the referendum and Sandu’s re-election failed domestically. The authorities ultimately secured a narrow victory - just a few tenths of a percent - thanks to results from around 200 polling stations specially opened in EU countries, which opposition parties believe were marred by fraud.