Moldova has informed several EU countries that it suspects Russia will attempt to disrupt voting by Moldovan expatriates at overseas polling stations during the Nov. 3 presidential election runoff, according to a Moldovan government source.
Pro-Western incumbent Maia Sandu faces former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo, who has support from the traditionally pro-Russian Socialist Party, in a high-stakes second round.
The source, who spoke anonymously to Reuters, indicated that polling stations in countries including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Canada, Romania, the U.S., and Britain may be targeted by Moscow with disruptive tactics, including bomb hoaxes.
"The goal is to interrupt the voting process during the (bomb threat) evacuation and check by the police. We kindly ask to apply procedures and protocols that do not interrupt the voting process," Moldova said in a message to a European official, as shown in a screenshot reviewed by Reuters.
Moldova, a former Soviet republic that gained independence with the Soviet Union's breakup in 1991, has alternated between pro-Western and pro-Russian orientations over the years. The country accelerated its Western alignment after Russia’s 2022 invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
Law enforcement has accused Russian-backed fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor of meddling in Moldova’s election, though Shor denies any wrongdoing. Moldovan voters residing in the West are largely seen as pro-European and more likely to back Sandu, who has advocated for Moldova’s bid to join the European Union by 2030.
The diaspora vote played a crucial role in helping Sandu’s team secure victory in the October 20 referendum, affirming the country's EU ambitions, which coincided with the first election round. The source added that Moscow has been transporting Moldovan citizens by air and bus to Azerbaijan, Belarus, Turkey, and Moldova to vote, in an effort to boost Stoianoglo’s chances.
Paula Erizanu
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