site.btaMoldovan President in Strasbourg: Russia Wants to Turn Moldova against Europe

Moldovan President Maia Sandu told the European Parliament (EP)  in Strasbourg on Tuesday that Russia seeks to turn Moldova against Europe. In her speech, Sandu noted that the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova on September 28 would be the most consequential in its history. “Its outcome will decide whether we consolidate as a stable democracy on the path to EU membership, a safe neighbor to Ukraine and a security provider to the Union, or whether Russia destabilizes us, pulls us away from Europe and turns us into a threat on the Ukraine’s southwestern border and Europe’s eastern frontier,” Sandu said.

The President highlighted that Moldova’s experience serves as a warning: “If Moldova’s democracy cannot be protected, then no democracy in Europe can be safe”.

Regarding EU accession, Sandu pointed out that many current EU member states were not fully democratic when they joined the Union. “You fought dictatorships, overcame economic hardships and not one of you did it alone. Every democracy in this chamber was built, supported and protected with the help of others,” Sandu emphasized.

She recalled that Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU less than two decades after shedding their socialist pasts, gaining stability and opportunities for growth. Today, Moldova, Ukraine, and the western Balkans stand at the gates of the EU, proving that the European project continues to strive, expand, and protect.According to Sandu, Both Moldova and Ukraine are ready to advance to the next stage of negotiations, and their democracies would be safer once inside the Union.

“For us accession is not just a technocratic process, it is a race against time to anchor our democracy inside the Union, where it will be protected from the greatest threat we face, Russia,” Moldovan President noted.

With the Moldovan parliamentary elections approaching, President Sandu also talked about Moscow’s unlimited hybrid war, “on a scale unseen before the full invasion of Ukraine”. “The Kremlin’s goal is clear: to capture Moldova through the ballot box, to use us against Ukraine, and to turn us into a launchpad for hybrid attacks on the European Union,” she said.

“That is why this election is very important. By defending it, we protect not only Moldova, but also regional security and stability (...) Moldova may be the testing ground. But Europe is the target,” President Sandu continued.

Welcoming President Sandu, EP President Roberta Metsola expressed deep admiration for Sandu’s determination, courage, and unwavering commitment to the Moldovan people, as well as her tireless work to guide Moldova on the path to democracy. Metsola stated that the EP stands united in its support for Moldova and its democratic journey toward EU membership.