President of Moldova: “Criminals” have tried to buy 300,000 votes

She says the criminals are collaborating with foreign forces.

– They have attacked our country with tens of millions of euros, lies and propaganda to keep our nation trapped in uncertainty, she says.

The elections in Moldova are about writing an aspiration for EU membership into the constitution and a presidential election.

It currently looks like a no to writing it into the constitution and with almost 90 percent of the votes counted, Sandu has the support of 38 percent of the voters. The pro-Russian candidate Aleksandr Stoianoglo has under 29 percent support.

Both elections are taking place amid strong Russian attempts to influence the outcome. As well as the White House, the EU Parliament and Moldovan authorities have pointed out that Moscow is trying to influence the election and steer the country away from the EU and the West.

Maia Sandu now says that she is awaiting the final election results.

– We will not stop defending democracy. We will come up with a powerful response, she says.

SVT’s European correspondent Christoffer Wendick is at the press conference:

– Maia Sandu seemed upset and attacked a large part of the Moldovan people who voted no to the EU with accusations that they are corrupt, bought by Russia. According to her, the number of those suspected of having allowed themselves to be bought has risen to 300,000. But she does not provide any new evidence, he says.

The text is updated

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