Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolhogan said on 23 August during a visit to the Moldovan capital Chisinau that his country will continue to support projects in Moldova “regardless of the time” because “we are from the same hearth and the same blood”. The Romanian prime minister also said that Moldova is now in “a moment of great importance for its future”
The visit comes days before the start of campaigning for Moldova’s parliamentary elections on 28 September, in which the ruling PAS party will try to extend its mandate with a promise to lead the country into the European Union by 2030.
But polls show PAS could lose its majority and find it difficult to forge post-election alliances, given feuds with other political forces that have a chance of making it into parliament.
Romania’s prime minister said his country has benefited enormously from joining the EU nearly two decades ago, receiving tens of billions of euros more than it contributed to the general budget. The changes Romania went through could be repeated in Moldova if it overcomes “a very important stage of progress towards a European future”, Bolhogan emphasised.
Authorities in Chisinau say they face Russian attempts to interfere in the election, including by bribing voters. The opposition, some of which is pro-Russian, says equality of opportunity is also being hindered by visits by several European dignitaries ahead of the election campaign.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are expected to visit Chisinau on 27 August, Independence Day, while Romanian President Nicusor Dan is expected to come to Moldova on 31 August, Romanian Language Day.
European leaders believe that Russia is trying to facilitate the victory of its allies in Chisinau in order to use Moldova in aggression against Ukraine.