​POLITICAL SCIENTIST IGOR BOTAN: “REFERENDUM VOTE TOOK PLACE IN CONDITIONS OF HYBRID WARFARE”

The director of the Association for Democracy through Participation (ADEPT), political scientist, Igor Botan, believes that “the voting at the referendum on October 20 took place in conditions of hybrid warfare on the part of Russia.”

He said on Monday at the public debate “Russia’s Interference in Moldova’s Choice: Goals, Manifestations, Consequences” that “similar assessments were made by representatives of European countries and the United States, who were positive about the referendum result.”

“They expressed concern about Russia’s interference. And in Russia, everything happened the opposite. There they allegedly said that they were confused by the fact that the counting of votes on the night after the referendum was conducted in such a way that by the end of the referendum the result was the one that the Moldovan authorities needed. This is an element of hybrid warfare. My opinion is that the will of the citizens was expressed in the conditions of hybrid war,” the expert said.

He recalled that international missions and observers believe that “the elections were held at a high level.”

“This interference from outside is defined by the so-called Ilan Shor grid (a fugitive oligarch convicted in Moldova – “I”). It was created 8 years ago. The first were Shor’s “social stores”. Back in 2020 he claimed that their services were used by more than 400 thousand citizens. Then came Shor’s various social projects in the regions of the country. And it was through other social projects that voters’ votes were bought,” Botan stated.

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