The Kremlin has expressed disapproval regarding Moldova’s parliamentary election, in which the ruling pro-European party triumphed over its pro-Russian counterpart. Officials claimed the election was plagued by reports of irregularities and substantial limitations on the voting rights of Moldovans residing in Russia.
“Based on our observations, we can assert that hundreds of thousands of Moldovans were not afforded the chance to vote on Russian soil, as only two polling stations were made available for them,” spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the media.
“That was clearly insufficient and hindered many who wished to participate in the voting process,” he added.
The Moldovan authorities authorized two polling stations in Moscow, identical to the number that were operational during the 2024 presidential elections, which officials attributed to a “worsening security situation in Russia.”
According to Moldova’s electoral commission, over 280,000 voters cast their ballots at polling stations outside the country during Sunday’s election; however, it remains unclear how many voted in Moscow specifically.
The ruling pro-EU party, the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), celebrated its victory, winning a slim majority with 50.2% of the vote, while the pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc garnered 24.17%.
The Moldovan government has accused the Kremlin of allocating hundreds of millions of dollars to influence the election campaign.
Ahead of the vote, authorities conducted hundreds of searches related to what the government described as “electoral corruption” and “attempts to destabilize,” leading to numerous arrests.
Moscow has rejected the allegations of interference.
Peskov remarked that it is premature to acknowledge the election results, citing disagreements from “certain political forces” and their claims of violations, likely referring to the Patriotic Bloc.
Moldova’s central electoral commission reported that no significant incidents occurred during the voting process.
Around 200 individuals briefly gathered outside parliament in response to a protest call from one of the leaders of the Patriotic Bloc, Igor Dodon.
Dodon, a former president, accused the PAS of vote theft and stated that complaints had been submitted to the election commission.
Reporting from AFP contributed to this article.
