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Polls person closed successful Moldova, wherever radical person been voting successful the country's statesmanlike predetermination and successful a referendum connected whether to enshrine the extremity of joining the European Union successful the constitution.
Voter turnout stood astatine much than 51% erstwhile polls closed astatine 21:00 section clip (18:00 GMT), making the referendum valid.
Incumbent pro-EU President Maia Sandu is hoping to triumph a 2nd term.
She faces 10 challengers, immoderate of whom favour adjacent relations with Russia. If nary statesmanlike campaigner wins much than fractional of the vote, the 2 apical candidates volition spell to a run-off successful 2 weeks' time.
After casting her ballot successful the Moldovan superior Chisinau earlier connected Sunday, Sandu singled retired the referendum ballot arsenic 1 that would acceptable up the aboriginal of Moldova for "many decades ahead".
She added that radical were choosing for themselves however they and their state should live, and warned Moldovans against letting what she called "dirty money" find their ballot - an evident motion to allegations by the Moldovan authorities of a vote-buying run linked to Russia. The Kremlin has staunchly denied these claims.
One of Sandu's opponents, Aleksandr Stoianoglo - who is supported by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists - said helium had not voted successful the referendum arsenic helium did not enactment the thought of changing the constitution - though helium added helium was a protagonist of his country's "European aspirations".
Young radical queuing astatine polling stations said they were voting due to the fact that they wanted to take a European aboriginal for their state – for the involvement of the system and for much opportunities.
Some said they were fed up of being "pulled" towards Moscow, decades aft the Soviet Union collapsed and Moldova became independent.
"We person to take a European aboriginal for our country, for our children, our aboriginal – for geopolitics, for peace, that’s the astir important," a elector called Oksana told the BBC. "Because we are betwixt Europe and Russian influence, and we person to take what we want."
At a polling presumption for residents of the breakaway Moldovan portion of Transnistria - which is economically, politically and militarily supported by Russia - the BBC stumbled upon grounds of vote-buying.
A BBC shaper heard a pistillate who had conscionable dropped her ballot successful the transparent container inquire an predetermination show wherever she would get paid.
Outside, we asked straight whether she had been fixed currency to ballot and she admitted it without qualms. She was aggravated that a antheral who had sent her to the polling presumption was nary longer answering her calls. “He tricked me!” she said.
She would not reply erstwhile asked who she had voted for.
In September, Ilan Shor - the fugitive Moldovan businessman accused of funnelling ample amounts of currency into the state from Russia - offered wealth to person “as galore radical arsenic possible” to ballot No oregon to abstain successful the EU referendum.
This week, Shor past made a video connection telling radical to ballot for "anyone but Sandu" successful the statesmanlike election.
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