Source: Christian Science Monitor
by staff
“One of Europe’s most crucial votes this year – an Oct. 20 referendum in Moldova on whether to eventually join the European Union – ended up with a squeak-by approval of just over 50%. The slim margin of victory came as a shock. Years of polling indicated strong support for EU membership in one of the Continent’s smallest and poorest countries. Yet a closer look suggests that the win was quite remarkable, only confirming why so many countries in Eastern Europe seek to live under EU values. An estimated 10% of Moldova’s electorate was targeted with bribes from inside Russia to vote against EU membership, according to officials. Such wholesale corruption of low-income citizens – costing some $16 million in bribe money – is exactly why a majority of Moldovans want to join the graft-fighting bloc. Without the bribery, the victory margin might have been much wider.” (10/22/24)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2024/1022/In-Europe-a-nod-to-honest-leaders