This autumn’s elections will witness a change in the position of forces at internal level, Sergei Manastîrlî, director of the Research, Analysis and Forecasts Center “Balkan Center”, stated in IPN’s public debate “Autumn of elections: expectations and challenges in European development context”, when commenting on the particularities of the future election campaign.

He said the Transnistrian holding “Sheriff” is one of the important factors that influence the election outcome. “The influence of this holding increases at economic level and also at political level and by the financial investments pumped into the political class of Moldova, by penetration into different bodies of the power and of the judicial system for the purpose of protecting the financial interests,” stated the expert.

“After the parliamentary elations of 2019, Sheriff got one or two seats of MP, but now the situation will be much more interesting. The holding’s representatives work actively to fill the influence gap that appeared after the dismemberment of the nucleus created by Plahotniuc.”

According to Sergey Manastîrlî, a number of election campaigns will take place in Moldova this autumn. Presidential elections will be held on November 1. On November 29, elections will take place in the Transnistrian region, while ATU Gagauzia will elect its People’s Assembly.

The public debate “Autumn of elections: expectations and challenges in European development context” was held as part of the project “Overcoming stereotypes of European integration through communication” that is implemented with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation.