The EU slashes funds for the Republic of Moldova
Brussels gives a cold shower to the Moldovan authorities.
Bogdan Matei, 21.11.2018, 13:41
In 2014, the Republic of Moldova was unanimously seen as a winner of the Eastern Partnership, a program through which the EU is trying to promote the values of democracy and prosperity in the former Soviet space. The Eastern Partnership also includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine. Alongside Tbilisi and Kiev, Chisinau subsequently signed association and free trade agreements with Brussels, thus legitimising their openly stated ambitions of European integration.
But then it all went wrong in the small republic with a majority Romanian-speaking population, and the discourse of the EU partners related to the Moldovan power has grown harsher. After repeated warnings, on Tuesday, Brussels announced officially its decision to suspend macro-financial aid to the Republic of Moldova, worth 100 million Euros, due to serious infringements of the democratic principles.
The head of the European Commission Delegation to Chisinau, Peter Mihalko, has shown that, in the past year, Chisinau was present on the agenda of the EU exclusively for negative reasons. He mentioned 2 resolutions of the European Parliament, the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council made public in February and the concerns expressed on repeated occasions by EU high officials. Mihalko added that the EU was expecting concrete results from the Republic of Moldova in the fight against high-level corruption, including the punishment of those guilty for the enormous fraud in which around one billion dollars vanished into thin air from the Republics banking system.
According to the European official quoted by Radio Romanias correspondents to Chisinau, another sensitive moment was this summers supreme court ruling that invalidated the elections for the mayor of Chisinau. The ballot that had been won by a former pro-European civic activist Andrei Nastase, against the pro-Russian Socialist Ion Ceban.
Peter Mihalko: “The EU is maintaining its commitment to Moldovas European integration and political association. We are waiting to see if the Moldovan authorities observe the commitments made and the basic principles of our relationship, especially in relation to democracy and the rule of law. When we dont see sufficient progress and any political will to achieve real results, then the EU has to take strict measures and introduce strict conditions in exchange for the aid.
A recent opinion survey conducted in the Republic of Moldova shows that 48% of the interviewees believe the Republic of Moldova should join the EU and only 37% favour the Eurasian Economic Union dominated by Russia. Analysts say that the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 24, 2019 are going to be decisive both for the political and geopolitical future of the Republic of Moldova. The elections are expected to settle the race between pro-Russians and pro-Europeans and also to bring a new administration, truly determined to fight corruption and observe the norms of democracy.
(translated by: Lacramioara Simion)
