Parliamentary elections have begun in Moldova.

On September 28, regular parliamentary elections began in the Republic of Moldova. Citizens will elect 101 members of parliament for a four-year term. Polls opened at 7:00 AM and will remain open until 9:00 PM local time.

NewsMaker reports this.

This year, 15 parties, 4 blocs, and 4 independent candidates are participating in the elections. For the first time, mail-in voting has been introduced for the diaspora, covering citizens in 10 countries.

In total, the Central Electoral Commission opened 301 polling stations in 41 countries, and for residents of the left bank of the Dniester, 12 special polling stations in the territory controlled by Chisinau.

Ahead of the vote, the “Unification of the Nation” bloc withdrew its candidacy in favor of the “Action and Solidarity” party (PAS), which is supported by President Maia Sandu. At the same time, the Central Election Commission annulled the registration of the “Great Moldova” party, a decision that has been appealed in court.

For the elections to be considered valid, turnout must be at least one-third of the voters. Only those parties that meet the threshold will gain entry into parliament: 5% for parties, 7% for blocs, and 2% for independent candidates.

At the same time, Russia is attempting to push Moldova away from its chosen path toward the European Union. Political analysts note Russia’s active interference in the parliamentary elections . Some individuals seeking accreditation as international observers have already been spotted at pseudo-referendums in Crimea and the occupied territories of Donbas and Abkhazia.

It was previously reported that a scandal erupted in Moldova on the eve of parliamentary elections due to a cyberattack on the Central Electoral Commission . Deputy Prime Minister Doina Nistor has already stated that Russia is involved in the incident, attempting to destabilize the country. The cyberattack occurred several days before the vote and, according to her, was part of a broader hybrid campaign.

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