Mihai Popșoi: The votes from the diaspora saved the European course, and the Republic of Moldova has withstood' Kremlin interference
The Republic of Moldova continues to face significant external pressures, especially from Russia, in maintaining its democratic and pro-European course. The recent presidential elections and referendum proved the firm commitment of Moldovans, both in the country and in the diaspora, to defend their democracy and European future, despite an intense campaign of external influence. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Popșoi, said in an interview for CNN that, although the vote was tough, it represents "a celebration of democracy", because the people of the Republic of Moldova clearly showed what they want.
One of the key factors that influenced the result of the October 20 elections, claims the head of diplomacy from Chisinau, Mihai Popșoi, was the vote of Moldovans in the diaspora, which played a decisive role in maintaining the pro-European course: "The votes from the diaspora brought this positive result". According to the official, Moldovans abroad contributed to countering external influences and attempts to bribe Moldovan voters.
The Foreign Ministry accused the Russian Federation of involvement in the election through illegal financing and attempts to influence the outcome through a "criminal group" that would act in the interests of the Kremlin. "Organized criminal groups, with support from the Kremlin, tried to derail Moldova's democratic path," the minister said. Despite these challenges, "our democracy resisted and showed the will of the people to the whole world", therefore, "the Republic of Moldova remains firmly committed to its European path", said Popșoi.
The head of diplomacy from Chisinau admitted that the country's security situation remains complicated, but emphasized that Moldovan institutions become more and more capable of defending democracy and the country's stability: "Our institutions are getting more capable of defending the Republic of Moldova, and this is a testament to the resilience of our country and our people."
In the end, Popșoi thanked international partners, especially the European Union and the United States, for their essential support during this difficult period, emphasizing that the Republic of Moldova remains firmly committed to its path towards integration into the European family.
We remind you that the United States has warned that Russia will try again to prevent the citizens of the Republic of Moldova from exercising their sovereign right to elect their president in the second round of the presidential elections.
The results of the first round of the presidential elections and the referendum on EU membership
According to the Central Electoral Commission in Chisinau, in the first round of the presidential elections, the current president Maia Sandu scored 42.45% of the votes, ahead of her main opponent, the former general prosecutor Alexandr Stoianoglo with 25.98%. Although Sandu leads in the preferences of the electorate, this result was not enough to win in the first round, so a second round of voting will be held.
In parallel, the referendum on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU ended with a marginal result. According to the final data, 50.38% of the voters voted for amending the Constitution in favor of the country's European pat hand this reflected a minimal margin of support for this political direction.
