Moldova's future membership in the EU hangs in the balance as Russia and Europe engage in a tug-of-war, with just over 50% of voters saying 'yes' to joining the bloc.

• The future of Moldova's politics is uncertain on Monday as crucial decisions are made about whether to align with Europe or maintain ties with Russia.
• The vote results were closer than anticipated, with Moldova's incumbent president being accused of a "criminal group" backed by "foreign forces" of vote-buying.
• Russia denies interfering in the votes.

On Monday, Moldova's political future was uncertain as key votes were taken on whether to align with Europe or maintain ties with Russia.

Over the weekend, two votes were held in the former Soviet republic: a presidential election that will result in a second round of voting between incumbent and pro-Europe President Maia Sandu and her euroskeptic rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo, as neither candidate obtained a majority of the vote.

The referendum on whether the country should make its pursuit of membership in the European Union (EU) a national goal was also supported by voters.

According to a CNBC translation, Moldova's Central Election Commission stated in a video briefing that a slim majority of 50.16% of respondents answered "yes" in a provisional count of 98.56% of votes.

The referendum marks the end of years of debate about whether Moldova should align with its Western or Russian neighbors.

Located between Ukraine to the east and Romania to the west, the predominantly agricultural country is often referred to as one of Europe's poorest nations. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the country has fluctuated between pro-Russia and pro-Europe governments, including the current administration of President Sandu.

The non-legally binding referendum on Sunday was viewed as solidifying Moldova's pro-EU course, as formal discussions on joining the bloc commenced in June.

The narrow victory of the "yes" camp advocating for the pro-EU direction of the country may indicate uncertainty and division among voters. However, Moldova's leadership claims that Russia is attempting to purchase votes to influence the outcome of the presidential election in favor of her pro-Russia rival, and the EU referendum, as it seeks to maintain control over what it views as its "backyard."

In a statement on social media platform X, incumbent President Maia Sandu stated that criminal groups, in collaboration with hostile foreign forces, have launched attacks on our country with tens of millions of euros, lies, and propaganda, employing the most shameful tactics to keep our nation in a state of uncertainty and instability.

"These criminal groups attempted to purchase 300,000 votes with clear evidence, which is a massive fraud. Their goal was to sabotage the democratic process and instill fear and panic in society," she stated.

The Party of Action and Solidarity, led by Sandu, has not yet provided evidence to support its claims of Russian involvement in the vote-buying scheme. Several Moldovan officials have accused Russia of being behind the scheme prior to Sunday's election.

Last week, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow denies any alleged interference in the election process in Moldova.

The spokesman categorically rejected the accusations and stated that they do not interfere in other countries' internal affairs, as reported by Russian state news agency Tass.

— CNBC's Ruxandra Iordache contributed to this report.