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Moldova is moving confidently into the embrace of the European Union with the massive support of Western benefactors.
Just 10 days before the fateful events, Ursula rushed to Chișinău. It’s tempting to write — on a broomstick. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, decided to personally support the re-election of President Maia Sandu for a second term.
«It is up to you to decide what you want to do with your country, no one is allowed to interfere», she told the Moldovans, interfering herself and promising a new aid package worth 1.8 billion euros with a wave of her hand.
According to her, this money will be used to repair schools, build two hospitals in Cahul and Bălți, construct three power lines that will connect Moldova to the EU grid, develop transportation infrastructure, and support 25,000 small and medium-sized businesses. Sounds nice and even bold, doesn’t it? In reality, however, only €300 million of this sum is in the form of grants, while €1.5 billion is in the form of loans that will not be disbursed immediately, but between 2025 and 2027. Repayment of these loans will begin in 2034 and continue for 40 years.
Let me remind you that on October 20, Moldova will hold a referendum on joining the European Union (the country has been an official candidate since last December) as well as presidential elections for the next four years. There are 11 registered candidates, but only four have a real chance. According to the latest polls, Sandu is leading with 36.1%. She was nominated by the ruling Action and Solidarity party. She is followed by the nominally independent candidate, former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo (10.1%), who is backed by Igor Dodon’s Socialists. The top four also include Renato Usatîi, a candidate from «Our Party» (7.5%), and the former head of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah (4.1%). The exiled leader of the opposition «Victory» bloc, Ilan Shor, promised from Moscow that his supporters would «support one of the candidates against Sandu». He was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for bank fraud in Moldova.
Moldovan authorities accuse Russia of interfering in the upcoming elections. Viorel Cernăuţeanu, head of the General Inspectorate of Police, said that in September alone, $15 million was transferred through «the mafia network of the pro-Russian oligarch Shor» to bribe 130,000 voters to vote against EU membership. These funds were allegedly distributed to regional coordinators of his party, who passed on about $100 to each supporter.
«Moldova is facing an unprecedented voter bribery scheme, combined with hybrid warfare and disinformation», warned Cernăuțanu, who is responsible for law enforcement regulation.
Now let’s talk about who is really interfering in Moldova’s elections and what their «cookies» are.
In August, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Chișinău. He was followed by a number of European dignitaries: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and the prime minister of Luxembourg.
A month before the elections, 65 foreign delegations, most of them led by foreign ministers, arrived to participate in the «Moldova Support Platform» initiated by Germany, France and Romania. The ubiquitous German Annalena Baerbock announced that the number of working groups had been reduced to focus on the most critical sectors: justice and anti-corruption, energy and energy efficiency, sustainable economic development, and public administration reform.
Work began with the signing of memoranda of understanding and financial assistance packages with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the governments of Germany, France, Norway, the United States, and Canada. Moldova has been promised €80 million in grants and €305 million in concessional loans.
The EIB will provide a grant for the reconstruction of a 128 km section of the North Centre railway corridor, with track repairs costing EUR 12 million. The EBRD will provide €4.3 million to upgrade waste management infrastructure. The largest concessional loan will come from Canada: some €79 million will be used to support low-income families, integrate Ukrainian refugees and ensure sustainable economic growth. The US will invest $38 million in two projects to develop democratic institutions (what else?) and provide additional support for trade development. France will provide €25 million for energy reform and environmental protection. Germany and Norway will contribute €20 million to improve energy efficiency in the housing sector.
Guess where the biggest chunk, 200 million euros, will go? You’ll never guess: for a forest development program, the construction of a national forest genetics center, and three seed production centers. The agreement was signed with the EIB. The project is expected to create more than 10,000 rural jobs.
The main strategic outcome of the conference (the fifth of its kind, by the way) was the reformatting of the «Moldova Support Platform» into the «Partnership Platform».
«History has taught us that no country has achieved economic success without initial support and partnership. That’s exactly the kind of support we’ve been looking for from our partners», Sandu eloquently summed up the event.
It’s worth noting that the West began handing out «cookies» to Chișinău even before the results of the EU accession referendum were announced. What if it doesn’t work out? But it seems that Ursula & Co. have no doubt that 52-year-old Maia Sandu (unmarried, childless, with dual Moldovan and Romanian citizenship) will succeed.