As with Moldova’s referendum two weeks ago, the vote then against joining the EU and today’s vote against the Russiaphobe President Maia Sandu carried the day—until the last 5-10% of the vote was to be counted. Two weeks ago, the wide-open fraud arranged by Sandu’s government of securing every vote from Moldovans in the West and depriving some 300,000 Moldovans in Russia of a chance to vote, pretty much set the tone. At that time, Moldova only provided 10,000 ballots—disenfranchising 97% of them. Despite Western monitors of that referendum knowing of the fraud, they have decided to look the other way. It is this that signals that a similar fraud may be carried out today.
Early reports today in fact do indicate a repeat of the previous fraud, with a suppression of the anti-Sandu vote both in Transnistria (in a heavily Russian-speaking area) and for Moldovans living in Russia. It is not known, at present, whether more ballots were provided this time for the 300,000 Moldovans living in Russia; but it is unlikely. However, regardless of whether her government is found to have repeated the same fraud today, both then and now the people actually living in Moldova have rejected both the EU and Sandu.
Asked whether she was surprised that her opponent, Alexander Stoianoglo, had won in Moldova itself, Sandu said the vote in Moldova and abroad should be seen as one and the same: “We never divide people into Moldovans at home and expatriates—we see Moldovans as one family.” Apparently, Sandu’s sight does not take in Moldovans in the east.
As of the time of this report, Reuters notes that Sandu finally overcame Stoianoglo’s lead when the vote counting got to 92% of the ballots recorded. At that point, Sandu was reported on the Central Election Commission’s site as taking the lead, with 50.28% of the vote.
