Moldovan diaspora mobilises for change in presidential elections
In various countries, the diaspora has formed queues at polling stations to elect the future president of the Republic of Moldova and to participate in the constitutional referendum. Regardless of their location, Moldovans around the world express their concern for their homeland and their desire for it to prosper.
Significant lines have formed at a polling station in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, where Moldovans, accompanied by their children, came to cast their votes.
“We are voting to support democracy.”
“People have been voting actively since 7:00 AM. The wait time is approximately one hour; however, everyone appears quite motivated to cast their vote.”
“We are voting for the future of Moldova, for our sons, grandchildren, and for the children of other mothers who have left. I travelled from Italy to vote here,” stated a voter from Brussels.
Meanwhile, Moldovan citizens in Munich and Hanover, Germany, are also voting today in hopes of bringing about change in the Republic of Moldova:
“We have come to effect a change for our country, to secure a future for our children, and to promote a positive transformation.”
“This is not our first time voting. We have been living abroad with our family for 11 years. We have always been present at polling stations. We have consistently desired a change for our republic—a small yet beautiful country, populated by industrious and intelligent people. We anticipate a change for the better and hope that everyone in the Republic of Moldova will make a sound decision.”
“We love our homeland and wish for a prosperous future for Moldova. We have faith that real change can be accomplished in our country.” “We aspire to return home, to take pride in our nation, and to celebrate our successes not only here but also in our homeland, where our roots lie,” said Andrei Codreanu and Gabriela Stahi, who voted in Dublin, Ireland.
Although they had the option to vote by mail, some Moldovans opted to visit the polling station in Oslo, Norway, in person. This includes a group of Moldovans from Iceland, who flew for several hours to Oslo, travelling over 2,000 kilometres to exercise their voting rights:
“Unfortunately, there was no polling station in Iceland, so we decided to purchase plane tickets to vote regardless. We have never been part of the EU; while we can speculate about the possibilities that may arise when we join the EU, we cannot deny that our experiences outside the Union have not been favourable, and we seek change—we desire something different.”
Nichita Jalba and Dorina Midrigan were the first voters at the polling station in Washington, D.C. The young couple travelled from Ocean City, asserting that they refuse to let others dictate their future.
Valeria Mihalachi, at just 18 years old, journeyed 2,000 kilometres to vote for the first time in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 120,000 citizens from the diaspora have already exercised their right to vote: “We are encouraged by this mobilisation of citizens, which requires patience and additional effort, particularly as some of our fellow countrymen must travel extremely long distances to cast their votes,” stated the Ministry.
In total, 231 polling stations are open abroad, as per the decision of the Central Electoral Commission.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
