The entire election day of Sunday 28 September was marked by widespread tensions, exacerbated by cyberattacks and bomb scares in various locations, including polling stations in Romania, Spain, Italy and the United States. Police charged three individuals with attempting to cause “mass destabilisation and unrest.” Pyrotechnic and flammable materials intended to cause panic were found during police searches. But the people of Moldova have finally spoken. President Maia Sandu’s pro-EU ruling party secured a parliamentary majority by achieving 50 per cent of the vote in what were considered pivotal elections for the country’s path towards EU integration. The Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) triumphed over the pro-Russian groups led by the Patriotic Block, securing 50.03% of the vote compared to the latter’s 24.26%. “This result confirms that the path towards European integration — and all that it entails — is now firmly established,” commented Bishop Cesare Lodeserto from Chișinău. “The vote sends a strong signal to the pro-Russian factions who sought to bring Moldova back to its bygone past. At the same time, the clear, resolute and unwavering will of the people is also reassuring for Ukraine, which can count on a neighbour that has chosen to side with peace and with Europe.”
However, the protests continued. Before the official announcement, pro-Russian opposition leader Igor Dodon called on his supporters to rally in front of Parliament to ‘defend our victory.’ “Moldova is not a divided country,” says the Italian fidei donum priest in Chișinău. “The opposition party gained insufficient votes to be regarded as a credible opposition force,” he explains. “It is only fair that, until the electoral committee verifies the vote and confirms its regularity, those who disagree with the result continue to express their critical opinions — but they must do so in accordance with the rules and without causing unrest. Once the electoral commission has confirmed the result, the opposition will have to accept it and recognise that Parliament is where politics is played out.”
“In a democracy, political opposition is expressed through institutional debate, not in the streets, where tensions could be stirred up.”
Tensions ran high throughout election day. PAS leader Igor Grosu accused Russia of “trying to hack the vote”, but stressed that Moldovan institutions ensured the security and regularity of the voting system. Moscow, of course, rejected all accusations, dismissing them as “unfounded”.
“Nevertheless, it must be said that democracy has won,” Lodeserto remarked.
“The fact that over 50% of eligible voters exercised their right to vote cannot be overlooked. Turnout increased compared to previous elections. “Of course,” he added, “yesterday was a difficult day: there were over 400 bomb scares, including at polling stations in Italy. There were continuous internet failures, and many of us had difficulty working online. All of these incidents were clearly aimed at destabilising the electoral process. Yet, despite everything, democracy prevailed. It is still a young democracy that has a long way to go, but the right to vote has been guaranteed, and this is beyond question.”
The small Moldovan community has been closely following this delicate phase in the life of the country. “We engage in no political activity,” pointed out Monsignor Lodeserto. “But we do hope that all Moldovans will enjoy freedom, be lifted out of poverty, have access to employment and see their families flourish. These values, which are also Christian values, can only be realised in a context of political stability. We hope that the ruling majority will be able to guarantee this stability with no uncertainties or ambiguities.”
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Regina Pacis Foundation, an organisation of the Moldovan Catholic Church that runs projects, soup kitchens and shelters to support the poor, elderly and Ukrainian refugees, as well as children in need, President Maia Sandu met with a Catholic delegation led by the Bishop of Chișinău, Monsignor Anton Cosa. The delegation included priests and deacons from the Archdiocese of Lecce, accompanied by the Archbishop, Monsignor Angelo Raffaele Panzetta, and the Emeritus Archbishop, Monsignor Michele Seccia. The President mentioned her audience with Pope Leo on 12 September, and expressed her gratitude for the Catholic Church’s social outreach. She likewise addressed the challenges the country is grappling with in terms of poverty, and conveyed her hope that the Catholic Church will persevere in serving the country with even greater dedication. “The underlying message is clear,” concludes Lodeserto: “Poverty must be eradicated to ensure that joining Europe is an opportunity for all, experienced in an atmosphere of democracy and freedom.”
