Moldova, which is experiencing tensions with Russia, is at the polls

In Moldova, people went to the polls to elect presidents of municipal and village administrations and members of local councils in local elections.

In Moldova, where approximately 2 million 760 thousand voters have the right to vote, voting began at 7:00 local time in elections held in 36 electoral districts. In the elections, followed by more than 1,000 local and approximately 500 international observers, the polls will close at 9:00 p.m. local time.

More than 57 thousand candidates are competing in the elections in which 898 city mayors and presidents of village administrations and more than 11,000 members of regional, municipal and village councils will be determined.

The key fight in the elections takes place in the capital Chisinau, the cities of Balti and Orhei, which have high economic potential. 27 candidates are competing to become head of the Chisinau municipality. In the Gagauz Autonomous Region, where there are approximately 129,000 voters, the administrative heads of a total of 26 settlements, including the capital Comrat, the cities of Çadır Lunga and Valkaneş, and 368 members of 26 local councils, will be determined.

ACCUSATION OF THE PRORUSIAN PARTIES

While the pro-Russian parties “Lucky” and “Renaştere” (Renaissance), which participated in the elections, were alleged to have bought voters’ votes, police carried out searches at party buildings.

On November 3, Moldova’s Emergency Situations Commission decided to withdraw the Chance Party, founded by businessman Ilan Shor, accused of stealing money from the country’s budget and allegedly hiding in Israel, from the electoral race, and canceled the registration of the party candidates. in the elections alleging that it was illegally financed from abroad.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean claimed that the party in question was financed by Russia, that Russian intelligence was behind it and that it threatened the country’s security, adding: “Russia sent 1 billion lei (about €52 million) to the country to buy voters’ votes. He used the expression.

İlan Şor, for his part, reacted to the accusations against the Chance Party and argued that “financial resources do not come from Russia and are used for the development of Moldova.” (AA)