The crowd filing through central Chisinau waving EU flags on Friday evening was clear: they believe Russia is trying to steal their election and bring pro-Kremlin politicians to power in Moldova.
Their weapon is money, your weapon is your vote!, was the loudest chant as several hundred supporters of the governing party, PAS, and its pro-European policies joined the final rally before Sunday’s ballot.
This week Moldovan police and prosecutors disclosed evidence of election interference on an unprecedented scale: vote-buying and disinformation that they link directly to Russia. They've also uncovered a plot to foment violent unrest, detaining dozens of men who travelled to Serbia for training including in the use of firearms.
Opposition parties dismiss talk of Russian meddling as a political show claiming the government is laying the ground to annul the vote should PAS lose its majority in parliament.
But Moldova took a decisive turn towards EU membership and away from Moscow after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now the evidence suggests Russia has been investing heavily in restoring its influence.
It’s trying to claw back control.
Lodged between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova has been independent since the USSR fell apart more than three decades ago. Last summer, it launched EU accession talks in tandem with Ukraine.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean sees these elections as a final battle for his country.
There is constant pressure from Russia, he told me, as the pro-PAS crowd broke up after its brief march through Chisinau.
They're spending the equivalent of more than 1% of our GDP to overthrow our government - on propaganda and false messages.
As the election draw near, police chief Viorel Cernăuțeanu claims that the electoral interference is one of the most advanced seen, citing that Russia potentially invested over $300 million to manipulate the electoral outcome compared to $100 million in previous elections.
This election serves not only as a political contest but as a larger symbolic battle for Moldova's identity in the face of external pressures.
