The National Union of Independence War Veterans of Moldova demands to amend the legislation that offers the Head of State the status of supreme commander of the armed forces. According to veterans, who criticize the actions and inaction of Igor Dodon concerning the National Army, when such legislative amendments are made, the independence, sovereignty and military security of the territory of the Republic of Moldova will be ensured so as to avoid scenarios similar to those witnessed in Donbas, Luhansk or Crimea.
In a news conference at IPN, the Union’s deputy chairman Alexandru Cimbriciuc said the military system faces problems caused by the non-decisiveness of the military staff, uncertainty of the job, low salaries, migration to the civil sector and other factors. The ban on the National Army’s participation in military training will only demoralize the service members. “We ask ourselves where the prompt reaction of the presidential administration was when the Transnistrian separatists recently performed military drill on the Nistru. Wasn’t then opportune to make use of the constitutional provision that makes the President the supreme commander of the armed forces?” asked Alexandru Cimbriciuc.
According to him, the deepening of the geopolitical struggle on Moldova’s territory divides society, while the separatist ideas are being promoted both in the Transnistrian region and in southern Moldova. To avoid the danger of an armed conflict, the veterans call on the authorities to amend the legal framework that offers the status of supreme commander to the President. “The changes to Law No. 345 on national defense and Article 87 of the Constitution, on which we insist, will perfectly match the policy pursued by the state in the fields of security and defense. These amendments will represent a perfect symbiosis of the previous amendments that instituted parliamentary control over the Security and Intelligence Service and the State Guard Service, eliminating thus the President’s control over these institutions,” stated Alexandru Cimbriciuc, noting that the President should have only symbolic powers, such as to hand over awards.
The Union’s chairman Mihai Balan said the veterans support the country’s European course, regardless of the color of the government. He called on his comrades not to allow to be used by political parties to destabilize the situation, to be united to maintain public order and peace and to prevent the political leaders from manipulating them.
Last week, President Igor Dodon, as the supreme commander of the armed forces, signed an order by which he banned the participation by Moldova’s armed forces in exercises, operations, studies, missions, training, courses and any other type of events abroad without his prior consent. He also requested to dismiss the deputy minister of defense, who now serves as acting minister, for violating the supreme commander’s order concerning participation in the military exercises in Ukraine.
