Moldova bans pro-Russian party from election whose leader eyed annexation of Ukraine's Odesa region
Pro-Russian party barred from Moldova's elections (photo: Getty Images)
Moldova's pro-Russian party, Greater Moldova (Moldova Mare), led by the controversial Victoria Furtună, has been removed from the parliamentary election, according to TV8.
The Central Electoral Commission of Moldova (CEC) supported the disqualification of Moldova Mare from the election — six members voted in favor, while three abstained.
The proposal to remove the pro-Russian party from the election was made by the deputy head of the CEC, Pavel Postica, as the party is considered the successor to the Shor Party, which had been declared unconstitutional.
The reason for the party's disqualification was non-transparent financing: unreported financial and material resources, inflows from abroad, as well as instances of providing voters with money, goods, services, and other benefits in an attempt to bribe them.
In addition, Moldova Mare was accused of cooperating with representatives of other political forces linked to Shor through participation in a disguised electoral bloc.
Furtună stated that she would appeal the decision in the Court of Appeal.
Earlier, Victoria Furtună had called for the annexation of the historical and geographical region of Budjak in southern Ukraine's Odesa region to give Moldova access to the sea.
Elections in Moldova
Parliamentary elections will take place in Moldova this Sunday, September 28.
The country's president, Maia Sandu, has already warned that Russia is trying to influence the outcome of the vote by various means.
According to Sandu, if pro-Russian forces win, Russia could use Moldova as a staging ground for an invasion of Ukraine's Odesa region.
More details about the upcoming elections can be found in the report by RBC-Ukraine.
