Igor Dodon delivered the speech he had insisted on giving at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The Socialist MP read his text in French and claimed that the pro European vector lacks popular support among Moldovans, citing poverty and other social problems.
The former president criticized the current government and argued that the results of recent votes show weak domestic support for European integration. He stated that in the referendum on EU accession, most citizens living in the country voted against accession, while the Moldovan diaspora ensured the approval of the vote.
“Now you can better understand why support for the pro European vector is not very popular among Moldovans. Today, the pro EU vector is associated with the authoritarian, corrupt, and incompetent governance of the PAS party and Maia Sandu.
You should also know that in the 2024 referendum on EU orientation, the majority of Moldovan citizens living in the country voted against it. Only the Moldovan diaspora in the West, by just a few thousand votes, ensured a narrowly positive result.
In the 2024 presidential elections, Maia Sandu lost the vote inside the country, while the candidate supported by the Socialists won. Once again, the diaspora vote changed the final result in her favor.
I am telling you this so that you clearly understand that the reality in the Republic of Moldova differs greatly from what the authorities in Chisinau present to you. Euroscepticism is very strong.
Many Moldovan citizens have the impression that officials in Brussels knew about and witnessed the abuses of the government in Chisinau but remained strategically silent. This tacit support for abuses has only increased skepticism toward the EU and deepened distrust in the sincerity and quality of the reforms and values adopted from the European Union,” Igor Dodon said at the Council of Europe.
Earlier this week, Maia Sandu addressed PACE, stating that Russia seeks to use Moldova against Europe and Ukraine and wants a loyal government in Chisinau. After her speech, Igor Dodon requested the floor, saying he wanted to tell European officials “the truth” about the situation in Moldova.