Moldova condemns unauthorized Russian Duma vote in Dniester region
Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly condemned Russia on Sunday for organizing State Duma elections across the left bank of the Dniester without the consent of constitutional authorities in Chisinau.
Staging the vote on sovereign Moldovan soil outside constitutional oversight constitutes “a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and breaches the principles of international law,” the ministry stated.
No international legal standing
Moldovan authorities had repeatedly warned Moscow that opening polling stations in the eastern districts was inadmissible without official approval. While Russian citizens living in Moldova were permitted to cast ballots at the designated station inside the Russian Embassy in Chisinau, Moscow proceeded to open 16 unauthorized stations across the breakaway territory.
The ministry stressed that unauthorized ballots conducted by a foreign state on Moldovan territory yield no legal validity. Officials underlined that such actions cannot affect the internationally recognized status of the region as an integral part of the Republic of Moldova.
Diplomats in Chisinau reserved the right to enact necessary diplomatic measures, pledging continued coordination with international partners to safeguard national sovereignty, the international legal order, and the principles of the UN Charter.
Turnout Below One Quarter
More than 51,000 Russian passport holders cast ballots in the breakaway region on Sunday, September 20, according to local de facto structures. The figure accounts for less than one-quarter of the estimated 200,000 Russian passport holders residing in the area.
The highest voter turnout was recorded in Tiraspol with 21,640 ballots, followed by Bender (Tighina) with 10,503 voters.
Moldovan security and legal experts urged constitutional authorities to thoroughly document how the unauthorized balloting was staged and notify competent international institutions of the breach.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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