Moldova commits to join EU after narrowest of votes

Incumbent president Maia Sandu claims that foreign forces with links to Russia tried to influence referendum's outcome

- TOM WATLING

A little more than half of Moldovans have voted in favour of the country committing to join the European Union, winning a razor-thin majority despite concerns of election meddling.

After 99.14 per cent of votes were counted in Sunday’s referendum, which asked voters to choose whether to enshrine in the country’s constitution a path toward the EU, the “Yes” vote crept over the line with 50.39 per cent of the more than 1.5 million ballots cast, against 49.61 per cent who voted “No”, according to the Central Electoral Commission.

Moldova’s president Maia Sandu, who is also engaged in an election run-off with former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo, said there was clear evidence of meddling.

In an address to the southeast European nation on the day of the referendum, Ms Sandu said there was “clear evidence” that criminal groups working with foreign forces hostile to Moldova’s interests sought to buy off 300,000 votes, something she called “fraud of unprecedented scale”.

“Their objective was to undermine a democratic process. Their intention was to spread fear and panic in society ... We are waiting for the final results, and we will respond with firm decisions,” she said.

Partial results revealed around the same time that Ms Sandu was speaking had shown 57 per cent were unwilling to commit to joining the EU. Analysts said ballots from the largely pro-EU diaspora were counted towards the end, giving the “Yes” campaign a last-minute push.