DISINFO: Moldova's authorities and their external partners are preparing massive fraud in early elections
SUMMARY
Moldova's authorities and their external partners abroad are preparing massive fraud in early [parliamentary] elections.
In recent days, we have witnessed the unprecedented activity of the authorities and representatives of the West regarding the massive participation of the diaspora in early parliamentary elections. Under pressure from the West, the Moldovan authorities are going to open even more polling stations abroad, but who will control the voting process?
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about elections and Moldova.
The aim of this narrative is to discredit Moldova's pro-European parties as well as the country's Western partners. See here a similar case saying that the West interfered in Moldova to help Maia Sandu win the presidential elections and here a case claiming that Maia Sandu won thanks to election fraud, which was a success of the "collective West".
The claim refers to the statement of the chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, who said that for the July 11 parliamentary election 190 polling stations could be opened abroad, compared to 139 open in the presidential elections in November 2020, but a final decision on this will be taken on 5 June 2021.
The consideration to open more polling stations for the diaspora in European countries as well as a recent meeting between the members of the European Parliament and the Moldovan President are presented as evidence of preparation of massive fraud. Actually, the voting process abroad is organised exclusively by the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in close cooperation with the diplomatic missions and does not involve any assistance from the officials of the host countries, except for receiving their agreement to open polling stations.
As for the EU's position on the upcoming parliamentary election, Peter Michalko, Head of the EU delegation to the Republic of Moldova, has stated in one of his recent interviews that the composition of the next parliament will be decided by the Moldovan citizens in the next popular vote.