Moldova narrowly votes for EU membership amid fraud claims

(ANSA-AFP) - CHISINAU, OCT 21 - A referendum on Moldova joining the EU passed with a razor-thin majority on Monday as pro-Brussels President Maia Sandu blamed the outcome on foreign meddling in a veiled reference to Russia, which denied the accusations. The Kremlin called on Sandu to "prove" election interference in the ex-Soviet republic bordering war-torn Ukraine and alleged "anomalies" in Moldova's vote count. Sandu managed to top the first round of presidential elections held at the same time as the referendum on Sunday, but will face a tough second round against Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor backed by the pro-Russian Socialists. Sandu applied for her country of 2.6 million people to join the European Union following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. With more than 99 percent of the votes counted, the "yes" vote was slightly ahead at 50.28 percent -- just 8,000 votes more than the anti-EU camp. (ANSA-AFP).