European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on Moldovans to vote in an October 20 referendum on joining the European Union, promising the country investment from Brussels if it becomes part of the EU.
She made her comments during a visit to the capital Chisinau on October 10 where she held talks with Moldovan pro-Western President Maia Sandu.
Moldova, a former Soviet republic of 2.5 million people located between Romania and Ukraine, is to hold a referendum on enshrining European Union membership as a “strategic goal” in its Constitution.
The referendum on October 20 falls on the same day as a presidential election in which Sandu is seeking a second four-year term.
“There’s a big milestone ahead for the people of Moldova. I encourage Moldovans to use their vote and express their free choice,” von der Leyen said, referring to the vote.
“It is for you, the Moldovans, to decide. It is your sovereign choice what to do with your country and no one can interfere,” she said, adding that she believed Moldova’s place was in the current 27-nation EU.
In her speech, Von der Leyen seemed to try to woo Moldovia, promising the EU would heavily invest in the country.
“We will invest €1.8 billion in your economy over the next three years,” she said.
“We will renovate schools, for example. We will build two new hospitals, in Bălți and Cahul. We will invest in better connections in your country, and with your neighbours – like the road between Chișinău, Iași and Odesa, or bridges over the Prut River,” she added.
Sandu told the briefing with reporters that von der Leyen‘s trip came at a “crucial” time for Moldova.
“Our mission is to build Europe at home,” she said.
Sandu said 65 per cent of Moldova’s exports went to the EU and that showed “where our strategic interests lie”.
Polls have shown Sandu as the favourite to win the election, comfortably ahead of the 10 other contenders. They also indicated that a majority of Moldovans support joining the EU.
The opposition has criticised the referendum as a stunt aimed at boosting Sandu’s presidential campaign.
Moldova’s relations with Russia have deteriorated in recent years. The pro-Western government in Chisinau has accused Moscow of seeking to overthrow it and of interfering in its domestic affairs.
Sandu has strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has accused Moscow of seeking to have her replaced, which it denies.
Russia has accused Sandu and her team of fomenting “Russophobia”.
Earlier in October, Moldova’s national police chief accused Moscow of channelling $15 million in September through a network operated by exiled pro-Russian businessman Ilan Shor designed to bribe more than 130,000 Moldovans to vote against the referendum and in favour of Russia-friendly candidates.
Pro-Kremlin forces are meddling in Moldova’s upcoming presidential election by paying off tens of thousands of voters in a sweeping plot to derail Chisinau’s bid for closer European Union ties, police said on Thursday. https://t.co/bnmRbaGFRm
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 4, 2024
