“Moldova’s pro-European victory is a lesson for all of Europe”

Statement by Siegfried Mureșan, Chair of the Parliament’s delegation to the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee, following the parliamentary elections in Moldova on 28 September.

“Moldova’s pro-European victory is a lesson for all of Europe on how to defeat Russian interference. Despite unprecedented efforts to manipulate the election — both during the campaign and on polling day — the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), founded by President Maia Sandu, won an absolute majority over pro-Russian opponents in the parliamentary elections held on Sunday. In recent weeks, Russia and pro-Russian leaders mobilised unprecedented resources — exceeding 1% of Moldova’s GDP — to illegally finance pro-Russian parties, spread disinformation, manipulate public opinion, and bribe voters. The pro-Europeans won despite all this interference because they delivered on the expectations of the people, avoided empty populist promises, and refused to form compromising coalitions with “the lesser evil”: former pro-Russian politicians suddenly claiming to be pro-European.

Russia will however not stop here. It will continue its attempts to influence elections across Europe and attack our democracies. But Moldova has shown that with hard work, victory is possible. Once a new pro-European majority is formed, we must act swiftly, advancing the European integration of the Republic of Moldova in line with the will of the people and the reform momentum created by this pro-European triumph. Moldova and its people will only be truly secure from Russian interference once the country becomes a full member of the European Union.”