The Moldovans today come to the ballot boxes for the critical parliamentary elections, with a serious dilemma: whether they will continue to course toward joining EU or will return to the Moscow orbit.

The pro -Western President Maya Sandu and her ruling party, the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), which holds the parliamentary majority, is being struck by the Patriotic Electoral Coalition (BP), an alliance Igor Dodon.

Dondon lost to Sandu in 2020.

“The results of these elections will determine the future of the country not only for the next 4 years, but for many, many more years.” said Igor Grosso, head of PAS, who is likely to be appointed prime ministerif his party wins the majority in the elections. Grosso is a close ally of Sandu and the current Prime Minister, Dorin Retchean.

Polls show that the Pas will remain the larger partybut may lost the majority in parliamentwith the patriotic electoral coalition to follows at a short distance. In such a scenario, smaller parties could play a decisive role.

At the same time, the block “Alternative», With leaders Ion tsebanMayor of the Chisinau, and Alexandrou Stojanoglocandidate for last year’s presidential election – tried to attract frustrated center voters. Although appears as a pro -European partycritics argue that It’s Kremlin -friendlywhich aims to extract votes from PAS while maintaining Moscow’s influence.

In Moldova, power is shared Among the directly elected president and his prime minister where is appointed by parliament. The president guides foreign policy and security, while the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers manage daily governance.

If PAS suffered a heavy defeat, the Sandu may be forced to shared power with Dodonwho can become prime minister. It is noted that Dodon has been accused in the past for corruption and had been imposed on him at home.

Santu, a former World Bank official elected in 2020, has supported her presidency in a pro -European course. Her government held a referendum last October, in which the Moldovans voted by a small majority in favor of her Integration into the EU. On the same day, Sandu was re -elected for a four -year term.

‘It’s a trial for Sandu’said a European diplomat in Chisinau. “No one seems to know what kind of country Moldova will be until Monday.”

Since it was independent by the Soviet Union in 1991, the Moldova swing between it pro -European and pro -Russian course.

The shadow of the Kremlin over Moldova

Under the leadership of Sandu, the country has accelerated its efforts to be liberated from Moscow’s influence. However, the shadow of the Kremlin is intense. Moscow has 1,500 soldiers parked in Supernquistryan area governed by pro -Russian separatists who were separated from the control of the Moldovan government in 1990.

Ever since Sandu was elected, the Chimney allegedly has tried many times to undermine her.

Moldova authorities claim that Moscow has channeled billions of dollars to pro -Russian partieshas sought to redemption of voteswhile he has done and propaganda campaigns to enhance anti -American and anti -European feeling.

Last week, the Moldovan authorities carried out 250 raids and arrested dozens of suspects In the context of a survey of a supposed conspiracy supported by Russia to motivate “mass riots” in the elections.

At the same time Research of Reuters revealed how Moscow has hires and pays dozens of priests of this deeply religious country, in order to encourage the faithful to vote against PAS.

The Russian SVR External Information Service issued a statement this week claiming that the NATO forces gather to Romania and they are ready to understand Moldova after the electionin the event that the “dents of elections prepared in Brussels and Chisinau lead to turmoil”.

SVR, which has a historical provocative and non -existent allegations of the West plans, has provided no evidence of this statement, although it is An indication of how worried Moscow is about the events in Moldova.

A Western Secret Service official told the Guardian that they believe that the Moldova Has you havei ‘ A key priority of Russian foreign policy after Ukraine»In recent months.

The official also said that the Moldova team in the context of Russia’s presidential administration has changed this year, with the aim of implementing one more aggressive policy in the country.

The outcome of the elections is closely watched by Brussels and other European capitals, as officials are afraid that Moscow could gain access to a strategically vital area.

In September, leaders from France, Germany and Poland traveled to Chisinau to show their support for Moldova’s expectations of EU accession and to warn Russian intervention. And the Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski He reiterated this message to the UN General Assembly in New York this week. “Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova too,” He said, warning that Georgia and Belarus have already fallen under the influence of Moscow.

Sandu’s weaknesses

However, the Sandu’s main weakness is the economy. Inflation remains steadily high, migration continues at a rapid rate and GDP growth is moderate, although its supporters argue that the challenges are largely due to external shocks.

In 2022, the country sank in energy crisisafter the Kremlin -controlled energy provider Gazprom It reduced by one third the gas supplies and doubled prices, in a move that was widely regarded as political revenge for Sandu’s pro -Western policy.

Then the Russian war in Ukraine caused shock in the vulnerable economy of the country. As it is a few hours by road from OdessaMoldova has accepted more Ukrainian refugees by resident of any other country, burdening its health system, public services and infrastructure.

Also Inflation was fired at 40% as trade collapsed.