Stoianoglo has said that, if elected, he would build a “balanced” foreign policy involving ties with the EU, the United States, Russia and China. In the run-up to Sunday’s referendum, polls had shown clear majority support for joining the EU. A “yes” result means a clause will be added to the constitution defining EU accession as a goal. The EU leapt to Sandu’s defence, saying Moldova had faced “really unprecedented intimidation and foreign interference by Russia and its proxies ahead of this vote”. The tight referendum result could put Sandu in a weaker position going into the second round since she has championed EU integration.

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Persons: Maia Sandu, Sandu, Alexandr Stoianoglo, Stoianoglo, Daniel Mihailescu, ”, “, Ilan Shor, Sandu’s, Shor, Valeriu Pasha, — Organizations: EU, Getty, Kremlin, Sandu, Moldovan, ”, Facebook Locations: Soviet, Russia, United States, China, Moldovan, Chisinau, AFP, Ukraine, Transdniestria, Moldova, Moscow, Sunday’s