Moldovans are going to the polls in the second round run-off of a presidential election seen as a choice between a European future or a return to Russian influence.
Pro-European President Maia Sandu faces Alexandr Stoianoglo, a man she fired as chief prosecutor, who has promised to balance foreign policy between the West and Russia and has the backing of the pro-Russian Party of Socialists.
Sandu and Moldova’s authorities have warned that a fugitive oligarch now based in Russia is trying to buy the election for Moscow.
The Kremlin has denied interfering in the vote, much as it did during last weekend’s disputed elections in Georgia, whose president described the vote as a “Russian special operation”.
Sandu won the first round of the vote two weeks ago with 42.4%, well ahead of Alexandr Stoianoglo on 26%, but short of the 50% she needed to win outright. His vote is likely to increase because of the votes of candidates who failed to reach the run-off.
After voting, Sandu warned Moldovans that “thieves” wanted to buy their vote and their country and she called on them to preserve their country’s independence.
Stoianoglo, who promises to be an “apolitical president” for everyone, told reporters he had voted for “a Moldova that should develop in harmony with both the West and the East”.
Credit: bbc.com
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