CHISINAU (Reuters) -Parliament in ex-Soviet Moldova voted on Thursday to hold a referendum on October 20 on European Union membership simultaneously with a presidential election.
Membership of the EU is the cornerstone of the policies of President Maia Sandu, who singles out Russia and corruption as the two biggest threats to the sovereignty of the country lying between Ukraine and Romania.
Moldova has been buffeted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with missile and drone remnants repeatedly landing on its territory.
The proposed date for the referendum was backed by a total of 56 members in the 101-member assembly. Members then quickly approved the same date for the presidential poll, in which Sandu is seeking re-election.
Opposition parties, which back closer ties to Moscow, oppose Sandu's drive for European integration. Twenty-four members of the assembly took no part in the referendum vote.
Moldova's Constitutional Court had previously given its approval for the two votes to be held simultaneously.
(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, Editing by Ron Popeski and Chizu Nomiyama)
