Maya Sandu has officially taken office again as the President of Moldova.

"I accept the mandate with humility and determination," she stated during the solemn ceremony at the Palace of the Republic, attended by around 500 guests. In her speech, Maia Sandu also mentioned that her legacy should be "Moldova in the European Union." At the same time, she emphasized that European integration should not be viewed as a "business class ticket to paradise."

Summarizing her first term, Maia Sandu declared that Moldova has become "more respected" on the international stage and that it has begun to free itself from energy dependency, as detailed in the politician's speech reported by Radio Free Europe Moldova Service.

Maia Sandu was re-elected for a second presidential term following the results of the runoff election held on November 3. Sandu won largely due to votes from abroad, with the diaspora voting in large numbers for her. Within the country, her opponent, former prosecutor general Alexander Stoianoglu, received slightly more votes, benefiting from the support of the opposition pro-Russian Socialist Party.

On the day of the runoff, the current pro-European authorities of Moldova once again accused Moscow of interfering in the elections, including allegations of transporting voters from Russia to other countries by buses and planes. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied such accusations.