[Info-Prim Neo Analysis, debut of “MOLDOVA – 20! Whereto?” Series] The current Parliament of Moldova must state in the Constitution that European integration is the country’s development vector. Such a constitutional stipulation would make the process of modernization irreversible, would temper political spirits which are about to explode with unforeseeable consequences, would set Moldovan society on the path of peace and social tolerance. The Parliament can and must fulfill this historic mission, as important as the Declaration of Independence 20 years ago. Otherwise, considering the current political situation, the current Parliament will be remembered as a quarrelsome transition one, which missed opportunities and ruined hopes. This refers both to governing parties and the opposition that wants to prove it deserves to return to power. [How can European integration obtain constitutional protection?] A possible proper formulation for being included in the Constitution could be {“The Republic of Moldova proclaims its course of European integration”}. It would suit the spirit of the current Constitution and of the whole general constitutional process, which proclaims goals rather than realities. For example: - The Republic of Moldova is a sovereign, independent, unitary and indivisible state. - The Republic of Moldova is a democratic state of law, where human dignity, rights and freedoms, the free development of human personality, justice and political pluralism are supreme values and are guaranteed. - The Republic of Moldova proclaims its permanent neutrality... The Constitution or other piece of legislation deriving from it will establish the mechanism of achieving this goal, perhaps like this: “The Republic of Moldova proclaims its course of European integration {and commits to fulfill all the conditions for obtaining EU membership by the year 20..”}. The exact time limit must be set according to the principle that no one lives two lives and everyone has the right to decent living in a lifetime (not after). Year 2020 could be a realistic target, if we are to believe the declarations of the current and previous governments that a lot has been done in this direction. A deadline is necessary to prevent politicians from slowing or simply simulating the process, or worse, from choosing another path. This isn’t a situation like the one during the Soviet Union, when a constitution stipulated that by 1980 we should live in communism. Nobody has ever reached their communism, which proves it was utopia, an unachievable goal, but millions of people have reached the EU and they really have a decent life. The words “to fulfill all conditions” are necessary in order to rule out any excuses that the effort isn’t worth it because the final decision is made by EU members and not by Moldova. Or that they won’t want to expand the EU borders anymore. “Fulfilling all conditions” really means providing European conditions of life for the people. At this point, the membership status is something conventional. Switzerland isn’t an EU member, but their people live like that because they have laws similar to the EU. The essential goal of this stipulation is to “bring Europe home”, rather than us going somewhere. All the Moldovan politicians and people agree on this. The Parliament is obliged and has the right to adopt this amendment to the Constitution even in the current wicked political conditions, when consensus can be reached neither between government and opposition, nor within the governing alliance. Formally, this blockage is caused by the impossibility or incapacity to realize the conditions stipulated by a constitutional article, specifically no.78, which regulates the election of the head of the state. Thus, the current Parliament risks being dissolved as the previous two. However, until then it’s vital and fully possible to approve an amendment on European integration, considering the remaining time. According to the Fundamental Law, “the Parliament can approve a law amending the Constitution at least 6 months after the initiative is presented. The law is approved with the votes of two thirds of the MPs”. The initiative can be put forward now, as the greatest gift of the political class on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Independence. It’s to be expected that there will be enough votes, if all parties prove the sincerity of their European option. Afterward, early elections can be announced with equal starting conditions for all candidates. [Why does it need Constitution’s protection?] Why do we need a constitutional stipulation on European integration? There are a number of serious reasons. First of all, things must be regarded considering the continuity of processes started through the Moldovan Declaration of Independence. At its 20th anniversary, the Independence brought about achievements felt by the whole population, but it is still affected by some issues like uncertainty, stagnation in most fields, lack of perspectives for the country and people. After 20 years, the process of fulfilling the Independence need strong backing in the form of “We have it, now what will we do with it? Where are we going?”. Political instability reflects the uncertainty in society. Long-term political instability in the country threatens the irreversibility of the modernization process, which naturally overlaps with European integration. In this historic moment, Moldova and its society don’t have better models than the EU, that’s why European integration needs to be put under the protection of the Constitution. Concretely, this means to secure the internal reform process, to assure their continuity and irreversibility. Even if we don’t feel immediate effects, we are assured by the government and foreign partners funding us that the first stage of reforms in Moldova is going well. It’s the stage of developing and approving a new legislative-normative framework, compatible with the EU’s. The results will be felt after their implementation and practical success. If so, we can rest assured that the second stage will take place according to the results of the first one regardless of who comes into power after parliamentary elections, ordinary or early. We mustn’t discover the bike anew, the “Moldovan model” or other similar things. The new constitutional stipulation can help to overcome the present political crisis by stimulating the reconfiguration of parliamentary factions after the following elections, or by removing the necessity to amend article 78. That’s because the sincere idea of European integration brings consensus among politicians and in society. Once in the Constitution, European integration will become the only possible National Idea that can consolidate Moldovan society. We need such an idea like air, because society is divided along many criteria, including territorial, ethnic, linguistic, politic, geopolitical, ideological, of identity and mentality, etc. The need for such a national idea was urgent ever since the Independence. There were a few attempts to implement some. The main ones are the “union with Romania”, intensely promoted from before Independence until 1994, “primitive Moldovenism” during the government of the Democratic Agrarian party and “Moldovan statehood” during the Communists’ government. The first two naturally wore off as mass movements, while the last one disappeared without its proponents’ aggressive political, ideological and administrative support. Moldovan statehood can’t be a national idea because it was forced and based on the idea of “enemy”, internal and external, something like “with us or against us”, and the enemy had to be eliminated some way or another, if not physically… All polls and practices indicate that the vast majority of political forces and Moldovan people share the idea of European integration and that’s why it can become a national idea that would engage everyone. Perhaps for the first time since Independence, there won’t be any more “internal enemies”. This is worth amending the Constitution. Perhaps at the next stage or concomitantly the political class should sign an agreement within itself and another one with society committing to realize the National Idea. {Read about it in the next episode of the analysis “Moldova without internal enemies” from the series [“MOLDOVA – 20! WHERETO?”]} [Valeriu Vasilica, Info-Prim Neo]