The EU supports the stability of the Republic of Moldova

EU Foreign Ministers have agreed to sanction the people and entities trying to destabilize the ex-soviet Republic of Moldova

Bogdan Matei, 25.04.2023, 13:50

The head of the Romanian diplomacy, Bogdan Aurescu has
hailed the political agreement reached by his EU counterparts for setting up a
sanctions regime in order to counter the destabilization actions against the
neighboring ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova.

He said that Romania is already working with the
authorities in Chisinau on the first list of people to be sanctioned. Created
on a part of the eastern Romanian territories annexed in 1940 by the Stalinist
Soviet Union, the little republic, which got its independence in 1991, has been
described by pundits as the most vulnerable neighbour of the invaded Ukraine. The threat level is on the rise. And causing violent
events would prove a turning point in the present context, said this month Ana
Revenco, Foreign Minister in the pro-Western government in Chisinau. According
to her, ‘it is a certain fact that Russia has stepped up its efforts to
destabilize the situation in the Republic of Moldova not without the efforts of
the fugitive oligarchs.

All the elements of a hybrid war such
as false bomb alerts, cyber attacks, illegally funded protests, energy
blackmail have proved to be a great challenge for the entire Interior Affairs
system – she told Radio Chisinau. The pro-war propaganda, the incitement to
hatred and misinformation are parts of the same hybrid war and are aimed at weakening
the resistance of the citizens.

Against this background, Foreign
Minister Bogdan Aurescu said that any
measure taken to bolster the security of the Republic of Moldova is also
beneficial to Romania, and the EU’s decision to quickly put together a
sanctions regime will be an instrument very important in the process of strengthening
the resilience and security of the neighboring state in the context of the
actions masterminded by Moscow.

In turn the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep
Borrell says that the Republic is one of the most affected states by the war in
Ukraine and Brussels has earmarked 40 million Euros to support its defence
capabilities.

Also this month the Budget Commission with the
European Parliament has endorsed the 145 million euros financial assistance for
the Republic of Moldova. The Romanian MEP Siegfried
Mureșan, the head of the delegation of the EU Legislature for the relations
with Chisinau has underlined that it is necessary that the macro-financial
assistance be endorsed without delay by the European Parliament and the money
reach the Republic of Moldova in due time, by the end of the year.

According to him, the Republic of
Moldova is an EU-accession candidate and we must help it overcome all the
challenges it is presently facing and carry on its European integration. The
final voting on this package in the European Parliament is most likely due next
week.

(bill)