٠٠:٠٥:٣٠Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov claimed the surge in support for Moldovan President Maia Sandu and the referendum on further EU integration 'raises a lot of questions', during a briefing in Moscow on Monday.
"The first thing we see is a 'mechanical', difficult-to-explain increase in the number of votes in favour of Sandu and in favour of the European Union. In fact, any observer who understands the nature of political processes can see these anomalies in the increase in votes," Peskov said.
He also commented on Sandu's claims about interference in the presidential elections.
"If she's saying that she's been 'undervoted' because of some criminal gangs, she needs to show proof. Well, it's also good that maybe Sandu should explain this number of votes that don't agree with her line. Are they also criminal groups, or does she mean that Moldovan citizens who do not support her are associated with criminal groups?" Peskov said.
Maia Sandu said on Monday that Moldova had faced an 'unprecedented assault on freedom and democracy' by 'criminal groups' in recent months.
"We have clear evidence that these criminal groups aimed to buy 300,000 votes – a fraud of unprecedented scale. Their objective was to undermine a democratic process. Their intention is to spread fear and panic in the society," the head of state wrote on her social network X (formerly Twitter).
The first round of the presidential election and the referendum on a constitutional change allowing accession to the European Union took place at 1,987 polling stations in Moldova and at 231 polling stations in 37 countries.
Eleven candidates, including the incumbent Maia Sandu, were running for the post of head of state. In the referendum, citizens were asked: "Do you support changing the constitution to allow Moldova to join the European Union?"
According to the Moldovan Central Election Commission, the total turnout was 51.68 percent. According to preliminary results, Sandu was in the lead with 41.63 percent of the vote, followed by the country's former prosecutor general Alexandru Stoianoglo with 25.46 percent. The results of the referendum was 50.42 percent in favour of the change and 49.58 percent against.
The Moldovan CEC announced that the second round of the presidential election would be held on November 3, as none of the candidates won more than 50 percent of the vote.
Moldova submitted an application for EU membership in March 2022, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while the start of accession talks were announced last December.
'Unfree' vote 'raises a lot of questions' - Peskov on 'difficult-to-explain increase' in votes for Moldova's Sandu, EU integration
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov claimed the surge in support for Moldovan President Maia Sandu and the referendum on further EU integration 'raises a lot of questions', during a briefing in Moscow on Monday.
"The first thing we see is a 'mechanical', difficult-to-explain increase in the number of votes in favour of Sandu and in favour of the European Union. In fact, any observer who understands the nature of political processes can see these anomalies in the increase in votes," Peskov said.
He also commented on Sandu's claims about interference in the presidential elections.
"If she's saying that she's been 'undervoted' because of some criminal gangs, she needs to show proof. Well, it's also good that maybe Sandu should explain this number of votes that don't agree with her line. Are they also criminal groups, or does she mean that Moldovan citizens who do not support her are associated with criminal groups?" Peskov said.
Maia Sandu said on Monday that Moldova had faced an 'unprecedented assault on freedom and democracy' by 'criminal groups' in recent months.
"We have clear evidence that these criminal groups aimed to buy 300,000 votes – a fraud of unprecedented scale. Their objective was to undermine a democratic process. Their intention is to spread fear and panic in the society," the head of state wrote on her social network X (formerly Twitter).
The first round of the presidential election and the referendum on a constitutional change allowing accession to the European Union took place at 1,987 polling stations in Moldova and at 231 polling stations in 37 countries.
Eleven candidates, including the incumbent Maia Sandu, were running for the post of head of state. In the referendum, citizens were asked: "Do you support changing the constitution to allow Moldova to join the European Union?"
According to the Moldovan Central Election Commission, the total turnout was 51.68 percent. According to preliminary results, Sandu was in the lead with 41.63 percent of the vote, followed by the country's former prosecutor general Alexandru Stoianoglo with 25.46 percent. The results of the referendum was 50.42 percent in favour of the change and 49.58 percent against.
The Moldovan CEC announced that the second round of the presidential election would be held on November 3, as none of the candidates won more than 50 percent of the vote.
Moldova submitted an application for EU membership in March 2022, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while the start of accession talks were announced last December.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitri Peskov claimed the surge in support for Moldovan President Maia Sandu and the referendum on further EU integration 'raises a lot of questions', during a briefing in Moscow on Monday.
"The first thing we see is a 'mechanical', difficult-to-explain increase in the number of votes in favour of Sandu and in favour of the European Union. In fact, any observer who understands the nature of political processes can see these anomalies in the increase in votes," Peskov said.
He also commented on Sandu's claims about interference in the presidential elections.
"If she's saying that she's been 'undervoted' because of some criminal gangs, she needs to show proof. Well, it's also good that maybe Sandu should explain this number of votes that don't agree with her line. Are they also criminal groups, or does she mean that Moldovan citizens who do not support her are associated with criminal groups?" Peskov said.
Maia Sandu said on Monday that Moldova had faced an 'unprecedented assault on freedom and democracy' by 'criminal groups' in recent months.
"We have clear evidence that these criminal groups aimed to buy 300,000 votes – a fraud of unprecedented scale. Their objective was to undermine a democratic process. Their intention is to spread fear and panic in the society," the head of state wrote on her social network X (formerly Twitter).
The first round of the presidential election and the referendum on a constitutional change allowing accession to the European Union took place at 1,987 polling stations in Moldova and at 231 polling stations in 37 countries.
Eleven candidates, including the incumbent Maia Sandu, were running for the post of head of state. In the referendum, citizens were asked: "Do you support changing the constitution to allow Moldova to join the European Union?"
According to the Moldovan Central Election Commission, the total turnout was 51.68 percent. According to preliminary results, Sandu was in the lead with 41.63 percent of the vote, followed by the country's former prosecutor general Alexandru Stoianoglo with 25.46 percent. The results of the referendum was 50.42 percent in favour of the change and 49.58 percent against.
The Moldovan CEC announced that the second round of the presidential election would be held on November 3, as none of the candidates won more than 50 percent of the vote.
Moldova submitted an application for EU membership in March 2022, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while the start of accession talks were announced last December.