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EU referendum in Moldova. An easy target for Kremlin propagandists?

Moldova has been preparing not only for presidential elections this autumn, but also a nationwide referendum on the country’s European Union membership. Opponents of the pro-EU ruling party claim this tactic is illegal and will cause irreversible harm to the society. Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, meanwhile is hoping to capitalize on Moldova’s EU path to help score a victory for her second term.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moldova, another ex-Soviet country, has been described by several propagandists associated with the Kremlin as the next target of possible “liberation”. Moldova had been blamed by them for discriminating against and offending Russian speakers, even those from the left bank of the Dniester River, or Transnistria, the region now controlled by the Russian army.

September 17, 2024 - Mihail Nesteriuc - AnalysisIssue 5 2024Magazine

Photo: Motalb / Shutterstock

Historically speaking, Moldova has fallen prey to several empires. As a consequence, the society is accustomed to the fact that one imperial administration changes with another and thus the government is not to be trusted because it is put in place by foreigners. Society is also divided because different parts of it support one or another geopolitical player. In other words, social cohesion is something unknown to Moldovans, unfortunately. Even in the 30 years of its independence, neither the country’s ruling political class nor its intellectual elites have been able to propose an attractive identity model that would appeal to all citizens, regardless of ethnicity or origin. In recent years, however, more and more experts in Moldovan civil society are inclined to believe that the European integration of the country could be a solution to empower social cohesion.

S: A referendum and an election

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