MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Friday accused Moldova's leadership of laying the groundwork to rig the upcoming Sept. 28 parliamentary elections.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Zakharova claimed the government in Chisinau, aware it cannot win fairly, is preparing schemes for overseas voting tested in last year's campaign.

"We've pointed out numerous times the disproportionality, or frankly speaking, manipulation, concerning the number of polling stations opened outside Moldova," she emphasized.

She specifically highlighted the "manipulative" and disproportionate number of polling stations opened outside Moldova, particularly in Russia.

She said Russia is willing to provide all necessary conditions for more polling stations and accused President Maia Sandu of deliberately not authorizing enough to hold a fair election.

Zakharova added that these limitations on voters' rights are accompanied by pressure on dissenters.

"In reaction to the anti-popular policies of the Moldovan leadership and its desire to stay in power by any means, the geography of peaceful protests is expanding across almost the entire territory of the republic," she said.

The spokeswoman said growing nationwide protests are a domestic reaction to the government's "anti-popular policies," not the work of external forces.

"They can't attribute this to external forces, as they love saying, ‘the hand of the Kremlin.’ These are citizens of the country who are being deceived. These are Moldovans denied the ability to vote," she said, adding that those who oppose the current authorities become targets of intimidation, blackmail, and physical coercion.