One of the poorest countries in Europe, Moldova has found itself pulled in two directions in recent years: between those who want to stay close to traditional partner Russia and those who favour closer ties with the EU.
Since 2009, the former Soviet republic, with a population of 3.5 million, has been pursuing a pro-EU path, and in 2014 it signed an association agreement with the union, which came into full effect in July 2016.
