Polls open across Moldova as voters decide on EU membership in crucial referendum

Polls put support for EU membership in Moldova at around 60%, but a minimum turnout of 33% is needed for the referendum to be considered valid.

Transcript

00:00Polls have opened in Moldova with voters making two crucial decisions, who should be their

00:06next president and whether the country should join the European Union.

00:10Opinion is split on whether joining the EU will provide the bright future supporters

00:15of the idea suggest.

00:17Incumbent president Maya Sandu, who is running for re-election, said Moldova had been talking

00:22about EU membership for 20 years and it was very, very important not to miss this opportunity.

00:29But some Moldovans prefer to maintain a cordial relationship with Russia.

00:33Authorities in Moldova have sounded the alarm that Russia is trying to swing the election

00:37away from EU membership.

00:39Kishinev estimates that Russia has spent around 100 million euros to undermine the electoral

00:44process, including through coordinated disinformation campaigns designed to sway or suppress the

00:50vote.

00:51Despite its detractors, recent polls put support among Moldovans for EU membership at around

00:5660%.