Moldova bars pro-Russian party from tense parliamentary election

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CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldova’s electoral commission on Friday barred a pro-Russian party from participating in this weekend's tense parliamentary election, which is beleaguered by widespread claims of Russian interference.

The outcome of Sunday’s high-stakes vote could determine whether Moldova, a Soviet republic until 1991 and a candidate for European Union membership since 2022, can continue on a path toward the EU or will be brought back under Russia’s orbit.

The Heart of Moldova party was one of four parties in the Russia-friendly Patriotic Electoral Bloc, or BEP, which is viewed as one of the main opponents of the ruling pro-Western Party of Action and Solidarity, in Sunday’s election.

The Central Electoral Commission's action was based on a ruling a day earlier by the Chisinau Court of Appeal, which restricted the party’s activities for 12 months.

The justice ministry requested the restrictions following searches earlier this month on Heart of Moldova party members that led to allegations of voter bribery, illegal party financing and money laundering.

The electoral commission said in a statement that all candidates proposed by Heart of Moldova will be removed from the bloc's list of candidates, and gave the bloc 24 hours to adjust its list to meet the representation thresholds required by electoral law.

The Party of Action and Solidarity has held a strong parliamentary majority since 2021, but risks losing it in the upcoming race, in which it faces several Russia-friendly opponents but no viable pro-European partners.

The BEP says it wants “friendship with Russia, “permanent neutrality” and a “state that serves the people, not officials.”

Irina Vlah, leader of the Heart of Moldova, condemned “the abusive decision” and called it a “political spectacle, concocted a long time ago” by the ruling party. She made a similar statement condemning the court ruling the previous day.

“We have made numerous calls pointing out the crimes that were being committed against us, but there has been no reaction, no change in attitude, which once again confirms that in recent weeks a scenario has been implemented against us," read a statement on her Facebook page.

On Thursday, Vlah was banned from entering Latvia, Estonia and Poland, which accused her of “helping the Russian Federation interfere in the preparations for the parliamentary elections.”

The electoral commission’s decision is likely to inflame tensions in an already polarized country where authorities have warned that Russia is spending hundreds of millions of euros (dollars) to sway the outcome of Sunday’s vote via an alleged vote-buying operation and plans to incite riots around the election.

Moscow has repeatedly denied meddling in Moldova. In a statement Thursday, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed allegations of Russian interference in Moldova’s elections as “anti-Russian” and “unsubstantiated.”

Cristian Cantir, an associate professor of international relations at Oakland University, told The Associated Press that pro-Russian parties may use the ban to claim they are being discriminated against and energize supporters.

“If political competitors break the law and contribute to the Kremlin’s plans to undermine Moldova, an institutional response is necessary for the preservation of the country’s security and democracy,” he said. “Having said that, the decision will be used by pro-Russian groups as further evidence for their claim of political persecution ... These groups will ramp up this rhetoric to mobilize their electorate.”