Moldovans voted by a razor-thin majority in favor of securing the country’s path toward European Union membership, electoral data showed Monday, after the pro-Western president accused foreign interference and “criminal groups” of trying to undermine the vote in the former Soviet republic.

Russia has been accused of offering cash for votes in Moldova to skew a referendum on joining the EU. The vote on Sunday to change Moldova’s constitution to join the EU was only passed by a paper-thin majority of 50.03 per cent, despite predictions of a comfortable victory.

Moldova, the EU and the United States said the Kremlin had waged a "hybrid war" campaign to destabilize the country and keep it in Russia's sphere of influence, including funding pro-Moscow parties, spreading disinformation and pouring millions of dollars into schemes to buy up 300,000 votes. Nearly 1.5 million Moldovans ultimately voted.