On October 20, Moldova goes to the polls to vote on EU membership.
But the country is divided and the police suspect that Russia is trying to influence the election by buying votes for the equivalent of SEK 150 million.
According to police chief Viorel Cernauteanu, 130,000 citizens have received transfers that can be traced back to the Russian Federation.
– Believe me, if people had not been bought, we would vote yes to join the European Union without problems, but since we have clans here, there is a split between the pro-Russian and the pro-European. There are those that are easy to buy, says Vera Stratulat in the capital Chisinau.
“No difference between European and Russian money”
But the referendum is also important for Europe. This week, the EU Commission adopted a support package of around 20 billion for Moldova. Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, who visited the country this weekclaims that Moldova belongs in the EU and urges its citizens to use their vote.
– If Russia helps us, it is criminal, but not if Europe does it. For us, there is no difference between European and Russian money. We just want people to have a good time, says pro-Russian local profiler Ivan Besarab, who works at a funfair in the Gagauzia region.
Moldova became an EU candidate country in 2022 after the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
On the same day as the referendum, presidential elections are also held in the country. The incumbent president, Maia Sandu is running for re-election and is currently leading in opinion polls, according to the Reuters news agency. Sandu is seen as pro-Western and has campaigned for Moldova to move closer to the EU.