Moldova narrowly votes for closer European Union ties in knife-edge referendum

Moldova has narrowly voted for closer ties to the European Union, electoral authorities say.

The yes campaign won the referendum with a slim majority of 50.39% – just a few thousand votes.

Voters were asked whether to enshrine the goal of EU membership in the country’s constitution.

Moldova’s pro-EU president accused groups “working together with foreign forces” of trying to buy 300,000 votes.

An EU spokesman said on Monday there had been “unprecedented intimidation and foreign interference by Russia and its proxies”.

Moldovan police said they had seized money and documents allegedly linked to Russian-backed groups.

The Kremlin, which denies the claims, criticised the vote and said the “opposition was deprived of the opportunity of engaging in the electoral process”.

It said the “election was not free” and the “sudden increase in votes” for the pro-EU side was “difficult to explain”.

Moscow is not keen to give up influence in the former Soviet state, strategically positioned next to Ukraine and the Black Sea.

Moldovans also voted in a separate presidential election.

President Maia Sandu had a lead over Alexandr Stoianoglo – 42% to 26% – but was short of an overall majority.

That result sets up a run-off vote next month between Ms Sandu and Mr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor-general backed by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists.

Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Europe, applied to join the EU after Russia invaded Ukraine.

President Sandhu has said she hopes to become a member by 2030.

Officials said around 2.7 million people were eligible for the presidential election and referendum.

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