The victory of Maia Sandu in the presidential elections in Moldova has confirmed the European choice of the people of this country, notes the Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Elena Kondratiuk.
“Maia Sandu's victory is very significant for Ukraine. It represents the triumph of the Moldovan people, who have reaffirmed their European choice. It is also a defeat for Russia, which has done everything possible to divide and subjugate Moldova,” Kondratiuk stated in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Monday.
The Vice-Speaker highlighted that concerns for Moldova began to ease on Sunday evening when the votes from the diaspora started to be counted at polling stations.
“This is a strategically correct decision for Moldova—to utilize all resources to ensure the country moves in a civilized direction! Honestly, I learned about the final result of the second round of the presidential elections in Moldova with relief. The first round, where the incumbent president Maia Sandu and the European choice in the referendum achieved only a minimal victory, caused a lot of anxiety,” Kondratiuk remarked.
“I am very glad that Maia Sandu managed to mobilize voters both abroad and within Moldova and defeat the pro-Russian candidate by a convincing margin of 10%. The enormous propaganda and financial efforts of Russia have proven futile. I congratulate the Moldovan people for making the right choice—one that leads towards a civilized European future rather than a colonial past,” emphasized the Vice-Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament.
Kondratiuk noted that during her official visit to Moldova in April, civic activists spoke about the extensive resources Russia is deploying to destabilize Moldova. In the opinion of the Vice-Speaker, these attempts by the RF will not cease.
“Next year, parliamentary elections will take place in the country, where Russia will try to take revenge. Therefore, this is not the time for Maia Sandu to relax,” stated the member of parliament.
Kondratiuk expressed her hope that in the parliamentary elections, the citizens of Moldova will reaffirm their pro-European path with their votes.
“Ukraine and Moldova are colleagues in the EU accession process. We both received an invitation to the European Union simultaneously and are concurrently undergoing negotiations necessary for accession. I sincerely wish that next year's parliamentary elections in Moldova will further solidify the pro-European course, and that Ukraine will have a predictable and stable neighbor,” Kondratiuk concluded.