DISINFO: The EU is testing methods of European totalitarianism in Moldova
SUMMARY
The US doesn’t have many political cards left. They no longer have Georgia—they left about a year and a half ago, handing it over to the EU. They also withdrew from Moldova, but Moldova is needed by the EU, where it is testing methods of European totalitarianism.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative targeting the EU accession referendum that was held on October 20, 2024 in Moldova. The election result reinforces Moldova's pro-Western trajectory, coming just two weeks after the country narrowly voted in favor of joining the European Union.
The election was marked by Russian interference and voter fraud, with Moldovan authorities investigating claims of organised voter transportation and vote-buying schemes. Russia tried to alter the results of the Moldovan election through a series of measures such a disinformation campaigns, buying votes, training Moldovan citizens in paramilitary camps to stage protests, and bussing voters to overseas polling stations. As this did not achieve the results expected by Moscow, pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian officials launched various baseless anti-EU narratives. See our article Moscow’s anger and plan for Moldova.
The partnership between Moldova and the EU aims to foster mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. EU-Moldova relations have entered a new strategic phase since the European Council recognised Moldova’s European perspective and granted it EU candidate country status on 23 June 2022.
Not only EU candidate countries, but all EU Member States are sovereign countries and make sovereign decisions about their own internal, economic, foreign and security policies. The European Union is explicit on the subject of national sovereignty: “the Member States all remain sovereign and independent states, they have decided to pool some of their 'sovereignty' in areas where it makes sense to work together.”
The EU continues to stand in solidarity with Moldova, having provided over EUR 1.09 billion in support since October 2021, including grants and loans. The EU’s focus lies on strengthening Moldova’s resilience, including energy security, enhancing cooperation on security and defence and supporting its reform path.
See also our other articles, Moldova on Moscow’s mind and Who is afraid of the European Moldova?
See here other cases on anti-EU narratives spread in Moldova in the context of referendum that EU membership means that Moldovans will not be able to work the land and will have to kill their animals, that European farmers protest massively against opening markets to candidate countries, that Moldova's EU accession implies an automatic loss of its neutral status.