Sandu cast her ballot in the Moldovan capital Chisinau earlier on Sunday. She emphasized the importance of the referendum vote, stating that it would shape the future of Moldova for many decades to come.
She highlighted that people were deciding how they wanted to live and cautioned against letting “dirty money” influence their vote. This was seen as a reference to allegations of a vote-buying scheme linked to Russia, which the Kremlin has denied.
One of Sandu’s opponents, Aleksandr Stoianoglo, did not participate in the referendum as he did not support changing the constitution. However, he expressed support for Moldova’s “European aspirations.”
Young voters waiting at polling stations expressed their desire for a European future for Moldova, citing economic opportunities as a key factor. Many voiced their frustration at being pulled towards Moscow despite Moldova’s independence from the Soviet Union.
Oksana, a voter interviewed by the BBC, emphasized the importance of choosing a European future for the country amid competing influences from Europe and Russia.
At a polling station in Transnistria, evidence of vote-buying was uncovered by the BBC. A woman admitted to receiving cash in exchange for her vote, expressing anger at being deceived by the person who sent her to the polling station.
In September, Ilan Shor, a fugitive Moldovan businessman, allegedly offered money to persuade people to vote against the EU referendum. He later urged people to vote for any candidate except Sandu in the presidential election.