Moldovan President Maia Sandu was sworn in for a second term, praising voters’ pro-European choice, according to Euractiv.
We can be proud that, despite the challenges, we have managed to be on the right side of history. We have defended democracy in the face of external threats. Moldova voted, despite all the pressures, for a clear direction – a developed, European country bringing greater security and prosperity.
The 52-year-old leader took the oath of office before parliament and the Constitutional Court. She won 55.33 per cent of the vote in a run-off election in early November, defeating Alexandr Stoianoglo. Sandu owed her re-election largely to high turnout abroad, but she lost within the country by a narrow margin.
Authorities reported numerous “attempts at destabilising” the election, including misinformation, vote buying, death threats, cyberattacks and busing voters to the polling station. Sandu moved her country decisively towards the EU, with the bloc formally launching accession talks.
Four years ago, we promised you better times. It was a sincere promise. But the times turned out to be difficult.
Russia is expected to stop supplying gas to Moldova and Transnistria from 1 January, when the existing supply contract expires. As a result, Chișinău declared a state of emergency earlier this month.
Moldova receives 70 per cent of its electricity from the Cuciurgan power plant in breakaway Transnistria. The power is generated by Russian gas coming through Ukraine. However, Kyiv announced its intention not to renew a transit contract that allows Russian gas to be transported to Europe at the end of December.
