“I wish Moldova was no longer classified as pro-Russian, pro-European, pro-American, or pro-Romanian. We have citizens who can support all these directions, or none at the same time. It is important not to generate geopolitical stereotypes, but to embrace democratic values,” President Igor Dodon said at the ordinary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe held in Strasbourg, IPN reports.
He noted that his goal and his greatest desire as President is to unite the people, to combat this false geopolitical division, created by political parties in their pursuit to obtain an electorate that they can control exclusively. “That is why I am asking you: do not support parties, but support the citizens of the Republic of Moldova.
“If we were to review now the names of the pro-European parties and the leaders of the Republic of Moldova for the last 10 years, who have enjoyed trust among European leaders, we would all leave our eyes in shame. (…) As President, I wish the important support that the EU countries give to Moldova could reach the citizens directly, be properly appreciated and promoted, but not used for the benefit of parties or politicians”.
President Dodon said he would very much like the European institutions not to give blank checks to any political party in the Republic of Moldova. “Past experiences showed how strongly some political leaders managed to compromise the European assistance given to our country, and they took advantage of the trust the European leaders gave them”.
He added that the justice reform is one of the most important challenges faced by Moldova. Institutions must be reformed and function in the service of the citizens. The state institutions are extremely weak after so many years of political control over them, after a period when there was created a functioning model based on political subordination.
“While some politicians try to highlight geopolitical issues such as uniting with Romania, fighting against Moscow, fighting against Americans and other false issues, for me and the government team, the real threat to state security is the internal one. Hundreds thousands of Moldovan citizens have left the country under previous governments not because of the geopolitical orientation, but because of the corruption that led to poverty, social inequity, and injustice,” said President Dodon.
He concluded by saying that from a political, economic and humanitarian point of view, Moldova as a state has been and remains a European country. “We are ready to make serious changes in the Council of Europe as a full member of this respectable pan-European organization”.
