CHISINAU (Reuters) -Moldova’s pro-European ruling party faces a tough fight to keep its parliamentary majority against opponents calling for closer ties with Moscow, with a new poll confirming a tight race while many voters remain undecided ahead of Sunday’s election.
President Maia Sandu, who has focused on talks for European Union membership by 2030 for one of Europe’s poorest countries, has denounced Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and accuses Moscow of interfering in the election, while the opposition has pressed concerns over high living costs.
An opinion poll published by the polling firm Idata on Wednesday showed Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity with 24.9% support compared with 24.7% for the pro-Russia Patriotic Bloc.
The Alternative Bloc, accused by the government of concealing a pro-Kremlin agenda, was backed by 7.2% and a fourth group, Our Party, led by the ex-mayor of Moldova’s second-largest city, Balti, had 5.4%.
A total of 26.6% of voters had yet to make their choice, the poll showed. With only decided voters considered, the survey gave the Patriotic Bloc a slight lead at 33.9% to 33.6%.
Should the ruling party, which held 61 seats in the outgoing 101-seat assembly, fail to retain its majority, Sandu is likely to make a deal with Our Party rather than appoint a pro-Russian prime minister, political analysts said.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean accused Russia on Wednesday of trying to take power by pouring millions of euros into Moldova to buy votes and foment disorder.
“The Kremlin is also in the midst of this election campaign to gain power over Moldova by circumventing its sovereign choice,” Recean said in an address after a cabinet meeting.
Russia denies attempting to influence the vote and accuses Moldova’s authorities of suppressing the opposition and stirring up Russophobia.
On Wednesday, Moscow summoned Moldova’s ambassador to the Russian Foreign Ministry to complain that Chisinau had declined to accredit Russian representatives as election observers.
Sandu was re-elected last year and a referendum on joining the EU passed by a narrow margin, with heavy support from Moldovans living abroad.
(Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
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