Russia Blasts Moldova for Blocking Moldovan Citizens Vote

(MENAFN) Russia on Wednesday leveled sharp criticism against the Moldovan government, accusing it of obstructing voting access for Moldovan citizens residing in Russia ahead of the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections on September 28.

During a press briefing in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asserted that Moldovan authorities were tightening their grip on opposition groups, contradicting their public declarations of upholding democratic values.

Zakharova pointed out that Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission intends to establish just two polling stations across Russia, despite the country hosting a large Moldovan diaspora. In comparison, she noted, Moldova plans to open 73 stations in Italy, 36 in Germany, 26 in France, and 23 each in the United Kingdom and Romania.

“Let’s look at the numbers. In Italy, where around 250,000 Moldovans reside, the authorities plan to open 73 polling stations. In contrast, for the 350,000 Moldovans living in Russia, only two stations are planned. This is nothing short of a blatant disregard for the rights of Moldovan citizens,” she said.

Zakharova added that each polling location is allocated 5,000 ballots. Based on those figures, the Italian polling infrastructure will comfortably accommodate voter demand, potentially with ballots remaining unused. In stark contrast, the two stations in Russia would only allow 10,000 of the estimated 350,000 Moldovan nationals to cast their vote.

“There is no doubt that the current authorities have pinned their hopes on the way votes will be cast by the Moldovan diaspora in the West. This is more than just an attempt to influence the outcome but the use of technical methods to produce the desired result,” she added.

The remarks mark a fresh escalation in tensions between Moscow and Chișinău, as Russia continues to highlight what it sees as systematic efforts by Moldova to sideline pro-Russian political voices.

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