Chisinau: Moldovans are being urged to shun “thieves, fugitives and bandits” after an exiled pro-Russian business magnate pledged to pay voters to vote “no” in a referendum on joining the European Union.

Infrastructure Minister Andrei Spinu’s warning underscored the increasingly unruly campaign for the October 20 presidential election in which pro-European incumbent Maia Sandu is seeking a second term.

Voters will also take part in a referendum on altering the Constitution to enable ex-Soviet Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries, to press for membership of the 27-nation EU. The country of 3 million is wedged between southern Ukraine, near Odesa, and Romania.

The most vocal opponent of EU membership, fugitive pro-Russian businessman Ilan Shor, offered in a weekend Telegram post to pay voters the equivalent of $42 if they registered for his campaign.

He said voters would get larger rewards if they cast “no” ballots in the referendum and if results showed they lived in electoral districts rejecting the proposal.

Israel-born Shor, who holds Russian, Israeli and Moldovan nationalities, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last year in absentia in connection with his role in the disappearance of $US1 billion ($1.4 billion) from Moldova’s banking system.

Exiled in Russia, the 37-year-old now heads the Victory election bloc, but is barred from taking part in the campaign.

Spinu, who besides being minister, heads Sandu’s re-election campaign team, said opponents of the president’s EU drive were “using money to buy votes and people”.