The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, held a firm speech at the ceremony that marked 35 years since the establishment of the Venice Commission, warning that the democracies of the world must quickly adapt to a new era, in which “Money, technology and misinformation move faster than the law.”
Photo: Profimedia
The head of state explained that the recent parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova have highlighted how vulnerable the democratic institutions can become in the face of external interference. “The world of the 1990s and 2000 no longer exists. Today, our vulnerabilities are transformed into foreign powers, amplified by artificial technology and intelligence, financed by cryptocurrencies and masked in democratic language.” said Maia Sandu.
According to her, Russia tried to use the Republic of Moldova against Ukraine, launching “A hybrid assault on democracy.” “The elections became the new front line. The ballot boxes were the target of a vast arsenal of interference, culminating with the presidential poll and the European referendum last year. The actual target was the takeover of Parliament and the installation of a Kremlin -controlled government,” said the president.
Maia Sandu stated that the attack has even exploited the fundamental principles of democracy – freedom of expression, association and free movement of capital. She mentioned that, in the last three years, Moscow has funded several political parties and misinformation campaigns in the Republic of Moldova, using cryptocurrency. “A single digital wallet address, identified by the anti -corruption authorities, has contained over 100 million euros, money used for winches, false media, paid protests and buying votes”explained Sandu.
The president stressed that the state institutions acted coordinated to defend democracy: they blocked the illegal financing, followed the crypto flows, destroyed the networks involved in the purchase of votes and introduced sanctions for electoral corruption. Also, the magistrate's veting process, carried out with the support of the Venice Commission, contributed to the protection of the integrity of the election.
“The citizens of the Republic of Moldova, supported by the state institutions, the civil society and the free press, defended the right to choose. They voted for democracy, for Europe and peace”, said Maia Sandu, emphasizing that victory is only a temporary one.
“If authoritarian regimes adapt faster than democrats, freedom will be lost. We must give people confidence that democracy is strength, not weakness. Its defense is a collective mission.”concluded the President of the Republic of Moldova.
