Ex-Foreign Minister: Primary goal remains for future parliament to represent citizens' desire to see country in EU

The risks facing the Republic of Moldova are very high, thus the primary goal remains for the future Parliament, through a pro-European majority, to represent the citizens' desire to see the country in the European Union. In the current political context, the stakes for our future are extremely high. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicu Popescu made the statement  in the context of the parliamentary elections on 28 September 2025.

In an interview with RFI, the ex-minister said that the Republic of Moldova is in a very important geopolitical context, with a war at the border, which shows how essential it is to have "a free and prosperous country."


"We see what happens in the East - wars, dictatorships, military interventions, brutal attacks against the opposition, politicians assassinated, exiled or imprisoned. It is very important for us all to finally decide what kind of country we want - free, democratic, European - because the risks facing the Republic of Moldova are very high. We do not want our country to be part of a space of war and dictatorship; we want a free and prosperous state," Popescu said.


The former minister emphasized that on 28 September 2025, it will be decided if the Republic of Moldova will join the European Union in the future. 


"This will be decided politically in the parliamentary elections and later through the work done in the next four years - during the next Parliament's mandate. The actions of the next legislature will contribute to the Republic of Moldova implementing those conditions and measures that will lead the country into the European Union," Popescu said.


Additionally, the former minister referred to the electoral corruption, which would be carried out through various schemes and intermediaries to "steal the citizens' right to choose how to be governed."


"These attempts to steal our people's sovereign decision are being carried out through various methods. Last year, there were massive vote-buying activities. We suspect that these are already taking place and will intensify as we approach the date of September 28, 2025. We see attempts to steal our citizens’ vote and future through digital manipulation, online disinformation, through trolls or bots. There are individuals amplifying attacks, lying to people, and trying to steal our right to choose how we are governed and what kind of country to live in. This risk is very high," the ex-official added.


Nicu Popescu noted that voters in the Republic of Moldova are aware of the true value of the vote and urged them not to allow their sovereign right to decide the country's future to be stolen.


"From our history, including the last 30 years, we know very well that the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have a fairly high degree of political discernment. People want to live in a country where their vote and opinion matter. We know very well that there have also been compatriots who have been manipulated or chose to sell their vote. It is very important not to allow our vote to be stolen or influenced through well-targeted campaigns, referring to digital manipulation, media manipulation or vote-buying, which were recorded last year," he said.


He stated that in the Republic of Moldova, the primary goal remains for the future Parliament, through a pro-European majority, to represent the citizens' desire to see the country in the European Union.


"I am convinced that our citizens, in their absolute majority, want to live in a free, democratic, and European country. Therefore, I have no reason to believe that the next Parliament will not have a pro-European majority," Popescu concluded.


On 28 October 2025, parliamentary elections will be held in the Republic of Moldova. The election takes place in an extremely important context defined by the continuation and advancement of the country in the European Union accession process.