Moldova has nothing to lose in the relations with Russia, which does not have leverage for influencing the signing of the Association Agreements with the European Union. The issue was discussed by the invitees to the program “Fabrika” on Publika TV channel, IPN reports.

Vice director of the Institute of Legal and Political Research of the Academy of Sciences Victor Juc considers that Moldova no longer holds the same interest for Russia. “As Russia annexed Crimea and is able to control such a large territory, it does not have the same strategic interest in Moldova now,” he stated.

Victor Juc also said that Moldova can no longer be blackmailed with bans and halts in the supply of gas. “Moldova survived a number of Russian bans and pays the highest price of gas among the CIS states,” he stated.

As regards the coming visit to Chisinau by the Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov, former member of the Joint Control Commission Ion Leahu said that Lavrov will make effort to keep Moldova under control. “What they can do now is to use the 1,600 Russian soldiers from the eastern districts and to stop the supply of gas. But this is only a ‘scarecrow’ that will have no effect,” he stated.

On the other hand, university lecturer Aurelian Lavric said that if Moldova signs the Association Agreement with the EU it may lose the Russian market. “Even if we have access to the 500 million consumers of the EU, it will be hard to occupy a niche there with the Moldovan wines. This market is saturated with wines from France, Italy and Spain and the Australian and Chilean wines have become more popular in Europe recently,” he stated.

Moldova is to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union on June 27.