Moscow, through fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, is preparing to manipulate Moldova’s 2025 parliamentary elections using complex electoral corruption tactics, according to Viorel Cernauteanu, head of the General Inspectorate of Police. In an interview with Adevarul, Cernauteanu revealed that Russia bribed over 300,000 Moldovans in the 2023 presidential elections and is now employing similar strategies to undermine Moldova’s democracy.
Key Tactics Used to Influence Elections
🔹 Cash Smuggling via Charter Flights
- In 2023, seven charter flights arrived at night, carrying $1.1 million intended for voter bribery. Authorities confiscated the funds.
🔹 Online Data Collection & Bank Transfers
- A digital platform created in May 2023 gathered Moldovans’ personal data and facilitated direct money transfers from Russia via PSB accounts.
- Tens of thousands of Moldovans reportedly received money through this system.
🔹 Religious Influence
- Moscow allegedly mobilized clergy to sway public opinion.
- Recently, two busloads of priests traveled to Serbia under the guise of pilgrimages, reinforcing Kremlin influence over Moldova’s religious communities.
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Legal Action Against Electoral Corruption
🚔 78 criminal cases have been opened for illegal financing and voter bribery.
📜 Moldova strengthened legislation to prosecute electoral corruption more effectively.
🌍 Ilan Shor, considered a key agent of Russian interference, remains under international prosecution.
Ongoing Threat to Moldova’s Democracy
Moldova continues to be a testing ground for Russian hybrid warfare tactics, with authorities closely monitoring attempts to destabilize the upcoming elections. However, electoral manipulation remains a serious risk, part of Moscow’s broader efforts to undermine democratic processes in Eastern Europe.