Moldova secures path toward EU membership in razor-thin vote

Moldovans voted by a razor-thin majority in favour of securing the country's path toward European Union membership, electoral data showed Monday, after the pro-Western president accused

foreign meddling

and "criminal groups" of trying to undermine the vote in the former Soviet republic. The "No" vote appeared to be ahead until the last few thousand votes were counted from the large diaspora of Moldova, whose authorities have accused Russia of trying to destabilize the country.

With 99.41% of votes counted in the EU referendum held Sunday, the "Yes" vote stood at 50.3% and the "No" vote at 49.6%, according to

Central Electoral Commission

.
A loss would have been a political disaster for the

pro-Western government

. "The people of Moldova have spoken: our EU future will now be anchored in the constitution. We fought fairly in an unfair fight - and we won," President

Maia Sandu

said.
The US hailed the verdict, saying: "Russia did not succeed.

Moldovan democracy

is strong." Russia has denied it is interfering in Moldova.