German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to support Moldova on its path to membership of the European Union, as the country prepares for presidential elections and the EU referendum this Sunday.
“The people of Moldova decide their future. I am convinced that this future lies in the heart of Europe,” said Germany’s top diplomat in Berlin.
She described Sunday’s elections and referendum as important milestones for the small country between Ukraine and Romania, with voters deciding whether to enshrine the goal of joining the EU in the constitution.
Pro-European President Maia Sandu is running for a second term, with the aim of enshrining Moldovan’s ambition to become a member of the EU in the constitution. However, there are strong pro-Russian forces in the country of about 2.5 million inhabitants, making the vote a crucial moment for the country’s future.
Baerbock criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the elections, stating that “Putin’s Russia is also attacking elections in Europe with hybrid methods: with targeted influence, cyber attacks and disinformation spread by his army of social media bot users.”
Moldova defied these threats with the support of the Moldovan Partnership Platform, which the German government launched together with partners just 40 days after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Baerbock added.
“The country has freed itself from the stranglehold of blackmail with Russian gas,” the minister said, praising ongoing judicial and anti-corruption reforms.
