An increasing number of signs show that the bilateral relations of the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation became more difficult. The experts invited to IPN’s public debate “Moldovan-Russian relations amidst war” discussed the correctness of this general perception and why it happens so, what developments we should expect and what should be done for the situation not to get out of the control of state institutions and society, especially when there is a war in which our previous ”strategic partner” has the status of aggressor.
Igor Boţan, the permanent expert of IPN’s project, explained that the bilateral relations between states are established and developed for solving a series of problems related to security, economic cooperation and social issues. The diplomatic relations represent the main form of maintaining official relations between sovereign states and between states and other public international law subjects, in accordance with international law norms and the practice of international communication. The diplomatic relations are designed to promote the development of friendly relations between states, to keep peace and security. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, the country undertakes to obey the UN Charter and the treaties to which it is a party, to base its relations with other states on recognized unanimous principles and international law norms.
According to the expert, the international law system is based on major universal principals that have the highest legal power. Among these are: banning of use of force and threatening with use of force, peaceful settlement of conflicts, inviolability of state borders, territorial integrity of states, respect for the sovereignty of the state, non-interference in the internal affairs of states. The result of the coordination of the will of states is expressed by an international treaty that defines their mutual rights at political, economic and other levels, which is usually in written form and is regulated by international law. The ministries of foreign affairs are directly responsible for international relations.
Ștefan Gligor, chairman of the Party of Change, said that there were a number of stages of the Moldovan-Russian relations and it is hard to place the period between 1990 and 2022 into one chapter. Moldova was formed as a state after the dismemberment of the Soviet Union, which was dominated by what is now called the Russian Federation, being the most powerful state form economic, military and political viewpoints in the Soviet Union. The relationship with Moldova was regrettably marked by what Moldova was in the Soviet Union, by its policy as part of the Union and the events that followed were influenced by the state of affairs in the Union. The relationship with Moldova as an independent state with Russia started unhappily, due to the Nistru war.
According to Ștefan Gligor, despite the act of aggression on its territory, Moldova in the 1990s lived “under a love paradigm with the aggressor”. On the other hand, Moldova was economically dependent on Russia’s market, while the economic affairs significantly influence politics. Moldova subexisted as a stare under this economic and, consequently, political interdependence until 2003, when Vladimir Voronin, after the Kozak Memorandum failed to be signed, said that the integration into the EU was the strategic direction and named the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. This shows that Moldova determined its development course with difficulty and the friendly relations between Moldova and Russia ended in 2003.
Dinu Plîngău, chairman of the Party “Dignity and Truth Platform”, said that there were different situations in the relations with Russia, which were mainly due to the different political interests existing in Chisinau as no major changes occurred in the Russian foreign policy, Russia being a state with a government with imperial, expansionist mentality. It considers itself a big world player and, as it pursues particular goals in the region, uses economic or other instruments to impose its interests. There were every time red lines regarding Russia’s interests in Moldova. At particular stages, the relations were changed owing to the political interests of politicians who came to power in Chisinau.
Dinu Plîngău noted that the historical ties between the two countries make the situation difficult. Beyond the economic dependence, the import of gas or the export of agrifood products, there is also the problem of mentality of citizens who are nostalgic for the Soviet Union, which is used by some of the politicians or by interest groups, including from the Kremlin, to impose particular decisions in Chisinau, related to development. Particular lines can be drawn now, but Russia also has particular red lines that it cannot cross with regard to Moldova owing to problems it experiences in the war in Ukraine. Moldova must condemn Russia’s policy and the Russian regime that decided to attack Ukraine.
The public debate entitled “Moldovan-Russian relations amidst war” was the 280th installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
