A knife-edge majority of 50.17% voted "yes" in Moldova's pivotal referendum on joining the European Union
A knife-edge majority of 50.17% voted "yes" in Moldova's pivotal referendum on joining the European Union, nearly final results showed on October 21, after President Maia Sandu said the twin votes had been marred by "unprecedented" outside interference.
In the early hours of Monday, Sandu addressed Moldovan citizens, saying there was "clear evidence" that criminal groups working together with "foreign forces hostile to our national interests" had sought to buy off 300,000 votes.
She said this amounted to "fraud of unprecedented scale".
While the still waiting for the final results, she said, Moldova would "respond with firm decisions", without elaborating.
A presidential election, which took place simultaneously, handed Sandu 42% of the vote while her main rival, former prosecutor-general Alexandr Stoianoglo won 26%, setting up a tightly fought run-off between the two on November 3.
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“The EU will stand with Moldova in every step of the way until the very membership,” - stated Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission at her joint press-conference with the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu.
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Moldovan parliament
Moldova's parliament voted on Thursday to set the date for parliamentary elections, which will take place on September 28.
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A three-year project aiming to accelerate Moldova’s EU accession was officially launched in Chisinau on Tuesday. The project is a part of the European Union's assistance to candidate countries seeking EU membership.
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Moldova is interested in importing natural gas from Azerbaijan to diversify its energy sources and enhance national energy security, the country’s energy minister said in Baku.
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Diplomatic relations between Russia and Moldova have come under renewed focus following recent developments involving the two countries' embassies. The situation reflects ongoing complexities in bilateral engagement and the importance both sides place on diplomatic protocol and international norms.