Saving Moldova from Russia’s Economic Sabotage
Romania has reiterated its commitment to supporting the Republic of Moldova at European level in order to help it face the economic sanctions imposed by the Russian Federation.
Bogdan Matei, 24.07.2014, 13:35
The Republic of Moldova is the most recent stake in the new ‘cold war’ between Brussels and Moscow. Tightly linked to Romania by language, history, culture and most recently, European aspirations, but still dependent on Russia in terms of economy, the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet state, with a majority Romanian-speaking population, is these months seeing its fate decided for the long run. The three-party government coalition, formed five years ago, made a firm choice to follow the European path and ratified, in June, the association and free trade agreements with the European Union.
Quite popular in opinion polls, however, the communist and socialist opposition makes no secret of the fact that, if favored by the electorate at the legislative elections this autumn, it will bring Chisinau back into Russia’s sphere of influence. In the meantime, Moscow does not miss any opportunity to sabotage the European path of its former colony. Officials of the Russian federal government, including deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin have made a habit out of threatening Chisinau.
At the same time, pro-Russian secessionist hotbeds in Transdniester, in eastern Moldova and in Gagauzia, in the south, are being constantly activated. To nobody’s surprise, Moscow’s strategy of burying Moldovan exports seems to show some results. After being, for decades, Russia’s main supplier of wine, fruit and vegetables, Moldova has all of a sudden become incompatible with the Russian Federation’s phytosanitary requirements. The embargo on wine has been quickly followed by one on farming products and foodstuffs, under the pretext of being contaminated. The decision, although anticipated by analysts, is nevertheless inexplicable according to Moldova’s PM Iurie Leanca.
In Bucharest, his counterpart, Victor Ponta, says Romania will plead for increased exports of farming products and foodstuffs from Moldova. Out of the 70 thousand tons of embargoed fruits, Romania can only keep about 15 thousand. The fruits will be deposited until they can be sold on the European market free of customs duties, that is, until October, according to Romanian Agriculture Minister, Daniel Constantin. So, it will be in October when Moldovan exports, banned by Russia, will most likely reach the EU market, and also Arab and Belarusian markets.
On the same note, PM Ponta has announced that deliveries of Romanian natural gas to Moldova, aimed at decreasing the latter’s dependency on Russia, will start next month, as scheduled. The irony is that also next month the Republic of Moldova will celebrate 23 years since it proclaimed its independence from Moscow.
