With nearly 100 percent of votes counted, Igor Dodon has declared victory in Moldova's presidential election. The former economy minister hopes to strengthen ties with Moscow.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Alexandru
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After a campaign filled with promises to restore ties with Russia, Igor Dodon was sitting comfortably on Sunday night with 55.3 percent of the vote in Moldova's presidential election. His rival Maia Sandu, a former World Bank official who ran on an anti-corruption ticket, was polling at about 44.7 percent.
As results came in, Dodon advised his opponent to "urge her supporters to remain calm."
"We don't need destabilization and we don't need confrontation, which somebody is trying to do," Dodon said, speaking in Russian.
"We're all living in one country, in Moldova. The next president should find this balance."
Closer Russian ties
The former economy minister - who served under a communist government between 2006 and 2009 - is calling for deeper ties and increased trade with Moscow.
Sandu, on the other hand, is urging a path toward Europe, calling for the withdrawal of thousands of Russian troops from the Russian-speaking separatist region of Transdniester, which broke away in the early 1990s after a brief civil war.
Dodon's election campaign was also boosted by tapping into the popular anger about corruption under the pro-European government that came to power in 2009 - particularly over the estimated $1 billion (923 million euros) that went missing from Moldovan banks before 2014 parliamentary elections.
That same year, Moldova also signed a historic EU association agreement which resulted in half of its exports now going to the 28-member bloc. Russia bitterly opposed the move and responded with an embargo targeting Moldova's key agriculture sector.
The election results came as nearby Bulgaria voted in Moscow-friendly Rumen Radev in their presidential election. The victory for the Socialist ally triggered the resignation of center-right Prime Minister Boiko Borisov.
Moldova: A country without parents
Twenty-five years after independence, Moldova remains one of the poorest countries of the ex-Soviet republics. Better money abroad has caused tens of thousands of parents to leave Moldova — and their children — behind.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
Left behind
Tanya moved to Italy five years ago where she works as a caregiver for the elderly and earns about 850 euros ($960) a month. But her three daughters — Karolina, Sabrina and Olga — were left behind in Moldova. They were 8, 9 and 12 years old, respectively, when she left.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
On the phone with mom
The girls initially lived alone at first, even though the oldest was only 12 years old. After a time, they began living with various people, to whom their mother regularly sent money.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
Meals apart
Now the eldest daughter, Olga, is finishing high school in Chisinau, while Sabrina and Karolina have joined their mother in Italy.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
Help from the grandmother
For the past seven years, Katalina's parents have barely been home. Her parents found jobs in Moscow and later moved to Italy after receiving work visas. Katalina's grandmother lived in a different village, but she eventually moved in with Katalina and her brother, Victor, to look after them.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
Reunited at last
Ottilia was barely a year old when her parents left Moldova. Her mother and father paid 4,000 euros each to get into Italy without proper documents. The girl didn't see them for five years and lived with her grandmother, who she called "mom." A year ago, Ottilia's parents managed to get a residence permit in Italy and brought their daughter to live with them.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
Hard work
Lilia moved to the West with her husband eight years ago. The couple had to work hard to repay the debt they took on to pay for the illegal border-crossing. Their daughters Nadia and Alina were 9 and 6 at the time.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
Parcels from abroad
Lilia sent parcels to her children three times a month. The family is reunited now, but it has come at a high price — the "visas" for the children cost 1,500 euros each.
Image: Andrea Diefenbach/Kehrer-Verlag
Childhood without parents
German photographer Andrea Diefenbach tells the story of Moldovan children in her book "Country without parents," published in German by Kehrer-Verlag.
