Fighting Corruption and Transparency of Political Parties Finances as Prerequisites of the EU’s Accession: The Case of the Republic of Moldova

Doi: https://doi.org/10.58603/RUZG3970

Rezumat: Corruption remains a major challenge to democratic governance in the Republic of Moldova, despite substantial efforts to strengthen prevention, investigation and sanctioning mechanisms. Political party financing represents an important dimension of this problem because opaque funding foster clientelism, oligarchic influence and state capture, while effective public oversight contribute to greater political accountability. This article examines the evolution of political party financing regulation in Moldova and assesses the progress and remaining challenges in ensuring transparency and compliance, particularly in the context of European Union accession. The study uses a qualitative case-study approach based on documentary analysis of legislation, official institutional reports and civil-society monitoring, complemented by descriptive analysis of party-financing data for 2016–2024. The article indicates both substantial progress and persisting problems and concludes that the consolidation of the gains of last decade depends on effective enforcement, improved verification systems and continued efforts to ensure that public financing strengthens the connection between parties and citizens.