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ABC News: In Moldova, local elections are underway with heightened scrutiny due to allegations of Russian interference. Moldovan authorities accuse Russia of conducting “hybrid warfare” to influence the elections in this EU candidate nation. Nearly 900 mayors and 11,000 councilors will be elected, watched over by approximately 1,500 observers. Moldova’s Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced a ban on the pro-Russia Chance Party, linked to an intelligence report claiming the party received significant Russian funding intended to destabilize Moldova and manipulate voter decisions. This report implicates exiled oligarch Ilan Shor, who denies the accusations.
Geopolitically, the elections are viewed as a battleground between pro-EU and anti-EU forces, with Russia allegedly seeking to thwart Moldova’s European integration. Amidst a backdrop of an energy crisis, inflation, and regional instability exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, Moldova is navigating its path toward EU membership, granted candidate status alongside Ukraine in the previous year.
The entire article can be read at the link https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/moldovans-cast-ballots-local-elections-amid-claims-russian-104639650
