Moldova at a Crossroads: Election Day Marked by Fear and Accusations

Moldova held a tense parliamentary election on Sunday, widely seen as a critical choice between closer ties with Russia and a continued path toward Europe. The day was overshadowed by a climate of intimidation and numerous allegations of voter suppression, with authorities warning that a victory for pro-Russian parties could turn the country into a launchpad for attacks against Ukraine.

From the outset, reports of irregularities emerged. In Moscow, long queues formed at one of only two polling stations opened in Russia. Despite an estimated 13,000 Moldovan citizens showing up to vote by mid-day, only 10,000 ballots were reportedly supplied. Meanwhile, in the pro-Russian autonomous region of Gagauzia, human rights activist Ivan Burgudji reported a high turnout for opposition parties despite pre-election raids on their representatives. He voiced fears that the ruling pro-presidential PAS party might seek to annul the results if they were unfavorable, drawing a parallel to a past situation in Romania.

Access for voters from the breakaway region of Transnistria was severely hampered. Authorities in Chisinau were accused of blocking bridges over the Dniester River, leaving cars in long lines and preventing many of the 300,000 Moldovan citizens in the region from reaching polling stations. This move followed a decision by the Central Election Commission (CEC) to relocate five of the twelve polling stations designated for Transnistrian voters further into Moldovan-controlled territory, a move critics say was designed to disenfranchise an electorate that largely voted against President Maia Sandu in the last election.

Further claims of misconduct came from Moldova’s Union of Lawyers, which stated that national observers were being blocked from polling stations abroad, undermining the transparency of the vote. Journalists also highlighted a significant discrepancy in official figures: the CEC chairman announced 2.74 million registered voters on election day, a sharp drop from the 3.3 million reported by the same body on September 1. This difference of over half a million voters has fueled suspicions of manipulation.

Top officials framed the election in stark geopolitical terms. Prime Minister Dorin Recan warned that a pro-Russian government would pose a threat not only to Moldova but to all of Europe. President Maia Sandu, after casting her vote, accused Russia of attacking Moldova’s democracy and seeking to seize power to use the country against Ukraine. Her comments were interpreted by some as an admission that her PAS party might not secure a majority and would need to form alliances.

The tense atmosphere was compounded by other incidents. A film crew from the Georgian channel Imedi was denied entry into Moldova where they planned to cover the election. Simultaneously, news broke on election day that Moldova’s state railway had signed an agreement with Carpatica Feroviar, a Romanian company established specifically for the strategic transport of troops and military equipment. The timing of this deal has sparked unease among a Moldovan public wary of their country being drawn into a wider regional conflict.