We do not want our partners in Bucharest to receive instructions from Moscow – Moldovan President
Maya Sandu (Photo: Dumitru Doru/EPA)
Moldovan President Maia Sandu aims to sustain strong ties with Romania following the presidential elections set for May. She shared her thoughts on Radio Moldova, as reported by NewsMaker.
Sandu stated that Moldova seeks to uphold “excellent partnership relations with Romania, so that we can rely on it, as we have done in recent years.”
“The last thing we wished for was for our allies in Bucharest to receive directives from Moscow, but I sincerely hope that this will not occur,” the Moldovan leader stressed.
She described Romania as a robust, democratic, and pro-European nation.
“However, there exists a risk, especially for more established democracies. I believe that citizens will be able to mobilize and navigate through these challenges,” the Moldovan president added.
She expressed optimism that a pro-European politician, who will advocate for Moldova’s journey toward European integration, will be elected as Romania’s president.
“We have significant plans: to construct bridges, highways, facilitate economic integration, and streamline customs processes to save time. For these ambitious initiatives, we require a dependable partner,” Sandu concluded.
The first round of Romania’s presidential election is scheduled for May 4, with a potential second round on May 18. Currently, there are 11 candidates in the running.
- The initial round of presidential elections took place in Romania in November 2024. The far-right candidate Georgescu (22.95%) and the pro-European candidate Lasconi (19.17%) progressed to the second round, planned for December 8.
- However, in December, Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defense declassified intelligence documents that indicated Russian interference in favor of Georgescu. Following this, the results of the first electoral round were annulled, and a repeat was scheduled.
- On March 9, 2025, the Romanian Central Election Commission prohibited Georgescu from participating in the repeat presidential election.
