The European integration is a process that implies a lot of dedication that should come both from politicians and from society, Dionis Cenușă, a political scientist, researcher at the Institute of Political Science at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, stated in IPN’s public debate “Society’s attitude to the EU: objective reasons and political and geopolitical manipulations. Situation in Moldova against situation in Ukraine and Georgia”.
According to Dionis Cenușă, the message shapers should be informed. “When we have politicians who didn’t at least read the RM-EU Association Agreement or read it selectively, what they liked more, we cannot expect the message to be clear and convincing for society because first of all the politicians should process the information and should reach particular conclusions, like the fact that the Republic of Moldova needs the European integration as this corresponds to the strategic development plan of the country. Regrettably, the politicians do not do this and when the electoral lists are compiled, this aspects in not taken into account,” said the expert, noting the politicians should first realize the European message and should then explain it to the citizens.
“We do not speak only about disinformation on the part of the pro-Russian parties, which is a known fact, but also about the exaggeration to which the pro-European parties resort. There are many cases when the citizens of the Republic of Moldova are sold the European Union as a miraculous solution for all the problems faced by the country. This is false and is detrimental to the European integration that is a very complex process that necessitates human resources, costs and investments,” stated Dionis Cenușă. According to him, the politicians in Georgia and Ukraine are more efficient in the communication of pro-Western geopolitical promises as there is the threat from the East that is posed by Russia and the more aggressive Russia is, the easier the pro-European agenda is served to the citizens.
Dionis Cenușă noted there was aligning in the political processes in Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. For example, in 2019 Ukraine held presidential elections that brought about changes and then parliamentary elections that brought new political forces to the Ukrainian Rada. Similar developments could take place in Moldova. In 2020, Moldova held presidential elections, while in 2021 will hold snap parliamentary elections. A political crisis started in Moldova last yearend, in parallel with a long-lasting political crisis in Georgia. Moldova will yet have snap parliamentary elections that are expected to clear Parliament. In Georgia, the situation is different. Even if the three countries unite so as to come closer to the EU, their speed will be different and will depend on the actions of the ruling parties, not only on the will of the EU.
The public debate “Society’s attitude to the EU: objective reasons and political and geopolitical manipulations. Situation in Moldova against situation in Ukraine and Georgia” is the 185th installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
