Washington, D.C. ­– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement congratulating the people of Moldova on the successful conclusion of the November 30th parliamentary elections:

“I congratulate the people of Moldova on the successful conclusion of the November 30th parliamentary elections. The election results have validated Moldova’s pro-European path and proved that President Vladimir Putin’s coercive behavior will not deter the Moldovan people from achieving their democratic aspirations. As growing geopolitical challenges threaten Moldova’s borders and Russia continues to fuel unrest in Transnistria, it is important that all parties work quickly to form an inclusive and accountable government that will continue the achievements of the previous government and remain committed to meaningful political and economic reforms. These reforms will be difficult and the United States should work with our European partners to provide a strong support network to Moldova that can help reduce short-term costs and protect against Russian retaliation. I look forward to working with Moldova’s new government in its efforts to achieve higher standards of governance and accountability, root out corruption, and promote greater economic opportunity.”

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