Moldova’s pro-European president, Maia Sandu, who has denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and accused Russia of trying to oust her in a coup, said Moscow had channelled the equivalent of nearly $5 million in two months in financing for “criminal groups”. These include a banned party led by fugitive businessman Ilan Shor.
Moldovans vote on Sunday in elections seen as a barometer of Sandu’s pro-European drive. A open-air rally tens of thousands strong in Chisinau backed her policies in May, but support is less certain in smaller cities and rural areas.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
CHISINAU, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Moldova’s pro-European president, Maia Sandu, accused Russia on Wednesday of “buying” voters in this weekend’s local elections by funnelling money to pro-Moscow political parties.
“Russia previously bought those people who were running Moldova,” Sandu said in an interview with Jurnal TV, referring to corruption scandals in the ex-Soviet state before her 2020 landslide election.
A open-air rally tens of thousands strong in Chisinau backed her policies in May, but support is less certain in smaller cities and rural areas.
Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries lying between Ukraine and EU member Romania, has blocked access to major Russian news sites in the run-up to the election.
Moscow has denounced the move as a bid to deny Moldovans access to alternative views and accused the president of whipping up anti-Russian feeling.
Shor, jailed in absentia earlier this year for his role in a $1 billion corruption scandal, mocks Sandu’s pro-European campaign and has organised demonstrations from exile in Israel calling for the dismissal of her government.
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