The Kremlin's interference in Moldova's electoral processes is expected to grow in 2025. This opinion was expressed by Watchdog expert Andrei Curăraru during a program on public radio. According to the expert, Russia seeks chaos and submissive politicians to lead countries in the region. He noted similar interference during the first round of Romania's presidential elections. In the same context, Promo-Lex expert Nicolae Panfil stated that Russia's interference through voter corruption in Moldova can be countered by uniting the efforts of all political parties, IPN reports.
Nicolae Panfil emphasized that political parties should take a responsible stance against voter corruption. As head of Promo-Lex’s election monitoring mission, he highlighted that parties had neglected the issue of electoral corruption for years, allowing it to grow exponentially.
"Certainly, we’ve experienced significant external interference. However, I also want to highlight the role of political parties. Since 2015, some parties have been funded from the state budget. We have politicians participating in campaigns who ignore these issues, which were evident during local elections and those in Gagauzia. Some parties didn’t even register candidates to challenge the elections in Gagauzia. Building a democracy without political parties is impossible. I want parties to take a clear position on voter corruption. Perhaps we also need to reform how state funds are allocated so that the current mechanism doesn’t favor just two parties. In the recent electoral campaign, very few complaints were filed by parties regarding the actions of Sor’s team,” said Panfil on Radio Moldova.
Watchdog expert Andrei Curararu warned that Russia's interest in Moldova's electoral processes will intensify ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections. Moldova must be prepared for new attempts by Russia to influence election outcomes, he cautioned.
“There is unprecedented Russian interest and interference in all aspects of Moldovan politics, and this will not diminish in 2025. We must prepare for this. Every responsible citizen must understand that we are a fortress under siege. Currently, it’s a virtual siege, unlike what our Ukrainian neighbors face. We are not the sole target of these attacks. Similar manipulations are occurring in Romania, including social media algorithms and so-called zero-cost campaigns. These practices mirror what we see in Moldova. It’s another expression of the same playbook used to seize power in various states. Clearly, Russia wants chaos in the region and compliant leaders who will follow Moscow’s directives,” Curararu said.
On November 28, the Constitutional Court validated the results of the presidential elections, confirming Maia Sandu’s mandate as President of Moldova. The Court highlighted the issues of voter bribery and vote-selling, deeming them incompatible with democratic election principles. However, it also noted that the violations committed during the election process and vote counting were not sufficient to alter the overall outcome.
