Kremlin complains as Moldova narrowly votes for closer ties with European Union in referendum
21 October 2024, 21:44 | Updated: 21 October 2024, 21:47
The Kremlin has complained after Moldova narrowly voted for closer ties with the European Union.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The Yes campaign won the national referendum by less than one per cent, just a few thousand votes.
The referendum, which came at the same time as the country’s presidential election, asked Moldovans to vote on whether the country should begin on a path to becoming an EU member state.
50.18% of a total 1.4 million ballots cast voted to join the EU, according to the Central Electoral Commission.
Votes from Moldovans living in Western Europe and North America, mostly in favour of EU integration, were included later in the count because of the time differences involved.
The European Union says the ballot took place with "unprecedented interference" by Russia or its proxies.
President Maia Sandu - who's in favour of joining the bloc - agrees.
Read more: Speeding drug driver who killed 16-year-old moped rider after running red light jailed
Read more: Donald Trump works at McDonald's as he questions Kamala Harris' student fast food job
'Hard to explain'
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
"What we see is a mechanically hard-to-explain rate of increase in votes in favour of Sandu and in favour of those referendum participants who favoured an EU orientation", Peskov said.
