ISTANBUL

Moldova on Monday condemned statements by Russian authorities accusing Chisinau of preparing electoral fraud in the country’s upcoming parliamentary election next month.

A statement by the Moldovan Foreign Ministry said that it “strongly condemns” recent statements from Russian officials, which it said accused Chisinau of preparing “vote falsification” for the elections through the country’s diaspora.

“Such statements represent a new unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of our country and are part of a disinformation campaign aimed at influencing the electoral processes and denigrating the communities of Moldovans abroad,” it said.

The statement further said that Moldovan authorities are focused on organizing the upcoming vote “in a democratic, transparent manner and in accordance with the legal framework,” and are working to ensure that Moldovan citizens, including those abroad, can vote freely and without outside influence.

“The Republic of Moldova reaffirms its firm commitment to democratic values and rejects any external attempt to undermine electoral processes and the stability of the state,” it added.

On July 30, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Moldovan authorities of drawing a “dividing line” between its citizens and “setting them against each other,” citing the limited number of polling stations planned to be opened in Russia for the upcoming vote in comparison to those in Western countries.

“We regretfully acknowledge that the electoral rights of many Moldovans are being suppressed and violated,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said on the matter during a briefing with journalists on the same day.

A preliminary list published on the website of Moldova’s Central Election Commission shows two polling stations will be opened in Russia for the election, with both planned to be located in the Moldovan Embassy in Moscow.

The definitive list of polling stations to be opened will be determined no later than Aug. 24, the commission noted on its website.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity, which holds a majority in parliament, is expected to face a unified opposition bloc formed by four parties in the Sept. 28 vote.

Late last month, Sandu accused Russia of planning to interfere in the parliamentary election in a bid to gain political control, which Moscow has denied.