Renato Usatyi, who had the third best score in the first round of the presidential election, announced that he will not support or vote for any of the two candidates in the runoff election. The leader of Our Party stressed that the decision to vote or not in the election and to support a particular candidate belongs exclusively to the citizens, IPN reports.
"I understand that everyone expects me to make a decision regarding the second round. 213,169 citizens trusted me and voted for me and I thank them for this. In the previous campaigns, I supported particular candidates and then I had to apologize for this gesture," Renato Usatyi said at a press briefing after a week of consultations with citizens and an assessment meeting with the party's leaders.
The politician noted that he does not have the right to decide for the citizens. "Every citizen must take responsibility for their vote. You have to decide who you will vote for or whether or not you will vote in the second round of voting," he added.
Explaining his decision not to vote, Renato Usatyi criticized both candidates and the parties that support them.
About the PAS, he said that it blocked the fight against corruption and gas schemes, "buried the last hope of the citizens to have lower charges." "Maia Sandu and the PAS enjoy external support, but they have nothing in common with the pain and problems of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova," said Renato Usatyi. He also accused the authorities of orchestrating smear campaigns against him and his supporters.
As for Alexandr Stoianoglo, Renato Usatyi said that he cannot support the PSRM’s candidate either and recalled his conflicts with the leader of this party, Igor Dodon, stressing that the Socialists made effort to eliminate him from the electoral race in 2014, when "Our Party was abusively removed from the electoral competition based on an agreement between Dodon and Plahotniuc”. “Socialist comrades and those who control them from inside and outside the country, how are you different from the PAS?", Renato Usatyi asked.
"After 33 years of independence, it is time to get rid of that yoke, when it is always the West or the Russian Federation that decides for the Moldovans. I thank all the citizens who supported me. I thank all the mates who have worked together since 2014 and those who join daily. We will continue the expansion of Our Party throughout the country. We will become the strongest political force. We will fight for the Republic of Moldova and its citizens in the 2025 parliamentary elections. I was, am and will be only for the Republic of Moldova and its citizens," said Renato Usatyi.
In the first round of the presidential election, the leader of Our Party Renato Usatyi ranked third with 13.79% of the vote.
