Over half of the votes in Moldova's parliamentary elections have been counted. The PAS party is leading with over 42% of the vote, followed by the "Blocul Patriotic" in second place, and the "Alternativa" bloc in third. Final results will be announced after all protocols have been processed.
The National Police of Moldova stated that they would not allow violations of law and public order during the announced protests in Chisinau. Law enforcement warned of a harsh suppression of any attempts at destabilization or threats to citizens and national security.
Moldovan police discovered a warehouse of pre-election materials containing offensive statements and calls for hatred in a church. Law enforcement officers seized 11 packages of leaflets that were intended to be distributed to parishioners.
The Ministry of Defense of Moldova and the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine denied information about alleged mass distribution of conscription notices in Chisinau. These reports were called fake, aimed at destabilizing the situation and manipulating public opinion on the eve of elections.
Former leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova, Vladimir Plahotniuc, has been extradited from Greece to Chisinau. He will be placed under arrest in a solitary cell on charges of stealing a billion dollars.
Moldova is restricting access to the Chisinau airport terminal from September 25 to 30. This is due to the parliamentary elections, the increase in passenger traffic due to the pilgrimage of Hasidim to Uman, and to ensure public order.
Romanian Railways is testing a new direct train route between Bucharest and Kyiv. The four-car train will run once a week via Chisinau.
A court in Chisinau sentenced the Bashkan of Gagauzia, Evghenia Guțul, to 7 years of semi-closed imprisonment. She was accused of financial fraud and illegal financing of the Șor party in 2019-2022.
As of the morning of July 8, Ukrzaliznytsia updated the list of trains delayed due to bad weather, including train No. 749/750 Vienna-Kyiv, which will be delayed by eight hours. Stormy weather conditions in Zakarpattia, Slovakia, and Hungary caused changes in passenger train schedules.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan announced that the European Union will open the first cluster of accession talks with Moldova on July 4. This event will take place during the "EU – Moldova" summit in Chisinau, starting with the "Fundamental Values" cluster.
Ukraine has completed the evacuation of 164 citizens from Iran and Israel, returning them by bus to Kyiv. The operation included a land crossing and air transit through Azerbaijan and Moldova.
Zelensky said that Ukraine will help Moldova avoid energy blackmail by the Russian Federation, which is using the occupied Transnistria. Ukraine will also help reduce the risks for Chisinau.
The Moldovan government advises its citizens to avoid traveling to Russia due to the deteriorating security situation and the risk of detention. There are also warnings about the arbitrariness of law enforcement agencies.
