Moldova’s president accuses Russia of conducting ‘hybrid war’ ahead of key elections

Buracet, Romania (AP) – President Moldavian Maia Sandu warned on Tuesday that the democracy of his country faces a “race against time” of what she said was attempts by Russia to influence parliamentary elections this month.

In a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Sandu said that the September 28 vote to choose a new legislature of 101 seats would be the “most consecutive” election in the history of the country of the European Union.

Sandu has reiterated the long -standing allegations according to which Moscow leads a sprawling “hybrid war” against Moldova – by disinformation, the purchase of votes, the illicit funding of parties and the myriad of other tactics – to try to undermine the future vote and to derail the path of Moldova towards the adherence to the EU.

“The objective of the Kremlin is clear: capturing Moldova through the ballot boxes, using us against Ukraine and transforming ourselves into a launch for hybrid attacks against the European Union,” said Sandu. “If our democracy cannot be protected, then no democracy in Europe is sure.”

Sandu said that elections will determine whether Moldova becomes a stable democracy or if the alleged Russian destabilization keeps Moldova from Europe. “Today, we are faced with an unlimited hybrid war on an invisible scale before the complete invasion of Ukraine,” she added.

Moscow had repeatedly denied the interference in Moldova.

The president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, told Sandu before her speech that “we are all deeply impressed by your determination, your courage and your firm commitment to the people of Moldova” and that the Chamber is united to support the democratic path of Moldova towards the members of the EU.

The EU Parliament later debated Tuesday a resolution on strengthening the resilience of Moldova against “Russian hybrid threats and malignant interference”. He should vote on Wednesday.

Sandu’s remarks came Tuesday for weeks after the leaders of France, Germany and Poland went to Moldova in a demonstration of support to mark the country’s 34 years of independence from the Soviet Union.

The next parliamentary election of Moldova will be essential during the geopolitical course of the country: that he can remain convincingly on his way to the EU or be brought back to the orbit of Russia.

“It is a race against time, to anchor our democracy within the Union (European), where it will be protected from the greatest threat that we are confronted: Russia,” said Sandu.

The pro-European party of action and solidarity, or not, that Sandu founded in 2016, won a clear majority during the legislative elections of 2021 but risks losing its majority during the vote of Sept. 28, without clear pro-European alternatives on the ballot.

In the aftermath of the complete invasion of Russia in neighboring Ukraine in 2022, Moldova asked for the membership of the EU and obtained the status of candidate that year. Brussels agreed to open membership negotiations last year.

“Precisely because we have progressed considerably on this path, Russia has triggered the entire arsenal of hybrid attacks against us,” said Sandu. “The battlefield is our elections.”

Last year, the Moldovans voted closely in favor of the guarantee of the country’s EU path, the same day, a presidential election took place, which obtained a second term. But these two votes were also overshadowed by generalized allegations of Russian interference, which Moscow denied.

Siegfried Muresan, president of the European Parliament delegation to Moldova, said in a statement that “Moldova is a priority for EU security, not just the enlargement of the EU” and that “a stronger Moldova means a lower Russia at our borders”.

“This is why, in the plenary of this week, we will vote on a resolution reaffirming strong support for the EU of Moldova,” he said. “We will also call on the Council to start negotiations on the first group of the Moldova membership process.”

Sandu warnings occurred one day after Diicot, the anti-organized crime agency in Romania, arrested a former senior senior 47-year-old in the Moldova intelligence and security services for alleged betrayal accusations. The case was part of a wider spy network in the European European by the Bélarus, according to Czech counterattack.

Romanian prosecutors allege that the Moldovan suspect has disclosed state secrets to Belarusian intelligence officers who could “endanger national security,” said Diicot.

The Bélarus is led by authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko, who is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lukashenko let Russia use Belarusian territory as a staging field for the large -scale invasion of Moscow Ukraine, and then allowed the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles.

“Russia uses Bélarus to attack Europe and wants to do the same with Moldova,” added Muresan. “Bélarus is a satellite for the war of Russia against Ukrainian and EU democracies from the first day.”

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Stephen McGrath reported Leamington Spa, in the United Kingdom; Karel Janicek contributed by Prague ,.