Nine people from Edineț accused of electoral corruption

Nine individuals from Edineț, aged between 30 and 56, are accused of electoral corruption. They allegedly promised money in exchange for votes in the presidential elections and the referendum in October 2024. The criminal case has been sent to court.

According to the prosecution, the nine defendants were making efforts for voters to vote “NO” on the referendum question regarding integration into the European Union and to support specific candidates for the presidency of Moldova. To achieve their goals, they resorted to promises of payment ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 lei, prosecutors say.

Additionally, they organized a trip to Moscow for a group of over 25 people from Edineț district, aged between 22 and 71. “There, some participants received amounts of 10,000 Russian rubles and 150 dollars,” the Prosecutor's Office stated.

Among the accused are women, a mail carrier, and a former mayor. According to prosecutors, the organizers are believed to be a man and a woman holding leadership positions in a party declared unconstitutional.

Under the Criminal Code, those accused of election bribery face fines of up to 57,500 lei or imprisonment for up to 5 years.

The Prosecutor’s Office is currently investigating over 150 people for voter bribery and illegal party financing from other districts, mainly in the northern and central parts of the country. Prosecutors have already sent over 70 defendants to court.