Bucharest says it bolstered Moldova’s election cybersecurity, but experts warn of escalating online interference. The revelations deepen concerns about protecting future democratic votes.
Romania’s President Nicușor Dan stated that Romanian intelligence services provided decisive cyber support during Moldova’s parliamentary elections, emphasizing that the action was directed specifically at the cyber realm, and not aimed at influencing the voting process itself.
Cyber Support and the International Community’s Response
In the cyber sphere they provided decisive support in Moldova’s elections, emphasizing that it was specifically in the cyber sphere, and not influencing the voting process itself
– Nicușor Dan
According to him, Romania, through the National Cyber Security Administration, “helped protect the electoral infrastructure and state systems from cyberattacks, including ensuring the security of voting among the diaspora”.
Russia is meddling at a level unseen before. It has poured enormous resources into often invisible online manipulation, and the Moldovan authorities are simply trying to keep up with it
– Andrew Wilson
Moscow aims to create a “buffer zone west of Ukraine to undermine Kyiv’s international support, and Moldova was assigned an important role in this strategy”
– Andrew Wilson
Moldova held another parliamentary election, in which 101 deputies were elected to govern the country for the next four years.
Before the vote, the authorities recorded widespread attempts by Russia to influence the outcome and secure the victory of pro-Russian forces.
After processing the full ballot data, it became known that the ruling pro-European party PAS had won.
In total, PAS received 50.2% of the votes. In second place was the pro-Russian “Patriotic Bloc” with 24.17%, in third place the “Alternative” bloc with 7.96%. Also entering Parliament were the Euroskeptic “Our Party” (6.20%) and the pro-European “Democracy at Home” (5.62%).
European institutions and leaders welcomed the Moldovan people’s aspiration for a European future. In light of the events, experts and the international community emphasize the importance of transparency and cybersecurity during future electoral campaigns.
Thus, the events in Moldova highlight the role of cybersecurity in modern elections and underscore the need for continued international coordination to safeguard democratic processes.