Moldova’s pro-European president that mass bribery had affected a presidential election and a referendum on joining the European Union and vowed to let Moldovans determine the country’s future in a runoff.
Maia Sandu who will enter a runoff on Nov. 3 faces former prosecutor-general Alexandr Stoianoglo, who is backed by a traditionally pro-Russian party.
Moldovan authorities have said the campaign for the simultaneous elections was overshadowed by a massive Russia-linked election-meddling scheme aimed at beating the pro-Europe side.
Ahead of the Oct. 20 election, police said pro-Russian fugitive businessman Ilan Shor had funneled $39 million to voters in September and October.
“Without the buying of votes, the outcome today would have been different. We would have had a convincing victory in the presidential election and the referendum!” Ms Sandu wrote on social media on Thursday.
She said she had rejected suggestions of ordering a re-run of election as some have called for.”Let’s go forward to the second round. We count strictly on our people as has always been the case when the fate of the country was on the line,” she said.
She called on the judiciary to “wake up” and tackle the issue of bribery.
