[Info-Prim Neo interview with His Excellency Romanian Ambassador to Moldova Marius Lazurca] [ - Your Excellency, please allow me within this dialogue to put you questions and state certain opinions about persons whom I know usually very well and who represent the interests of certain groups of persons, and viewpoints on Romania, Romanianism and the Moldovan-Romanian relations. The first question comes from a person who is not very familiar with the topic, but I think it is more than simple curiosity: “Is December 1 for the Romanians living in Romania an official holiday or a holiday for the heart? Do the people regard it in the same way as for example the feast of Easter or the day of November 7 in the former Soviet Union?] - December 1 is the day when all Romanians, regardless of their whereabouts, celebrate their union, first of all spiritual and then cultural and political. The comparisons you make with Easter and November 7 seem inappropriate to me. [ - Why do you think all the Romanians are sure about their identity, while for the population of Moldova the identity is a great problem - some people consider themselves Moldovans, while others Romanians, Russians, Gagauzians, Ukrainians, or Bulgarians, without having a common element that would unite them all? Specialists say this state of affairs generates serious difficulties that are apparently not directly felt. What solution may exist to the given problem, based on Romania’s experience, and when can it appear?] - The identity clarity to which you refer is on the one hand, the effect of long historical sedimentation and on the other hand, the symptom of a more recent, but incontestable political maturity. The historical sedimentation gradually led to the birth, strengthening and confirmation of the national conscience of the Romanians on an area that imperfectly superposes on the territory of contemporary Romania. The word “Romanian” (or ”Rumanian” in the old language) derives from the Latin word ”romanus” and its phonetic transformation shows that this word never disappeared from the language spoken by the ancestors. Basing on this word, our ancestors – either the Ardelenians, Muntenians or Moldovans – named their language “Romanian”, realizing as Grigore Ureche that they all come from the Rome and that their common name is ‘Romanian’. Without the conscience of linguistic and spiritual unity of the Romanians in Moldova, the Romanian Country and Ardeal, no events of our recent political history would have taken place – the year 1859, the Independence, the Great Union of 1918, the integration into NATO and the EU. I would say that no major political project is possible without clear ethnical conscience and powerful civic identity. The Romanian civic identity covers the Romanians of Romanian ethnicity and the Romanians of Hungarian, Roma, German, Jewish or other ethnic groups. Without denying the distinct features of every ethnic group – of the majority Romanian and of the minority ones – the Romanian political identity is based on everyone’s readiness to be loyal to the common Motherland. [ - In what areas do the Moldovan-Romanian relations develop better than in others?] - After the democratic changes of April 2009, the bilateral relations started to develop at an exceptional pace for two essential reasons. The first is the exponential increase in the trust between Chisinau and Bucharest after during almost a decade Romania had been the preferred victim of the propaganda of a hostile regime. This trust allowed settling many ‘debts’ – opening of the Consulates General in Cahul and Balti for example. The second reason of the dynamism in the bilateral relations is the sincere pro-European orientation of the AEI government. An administration that really wants to have closer relations with the EU, develops dynamical relations with Romania, which is the only neighbor of Moldova in the EU. As a conclusion, I would dare to say that the AEI government showed to all the people of good faith that coming closer to Romania is beneficial to the European integration of your country. [ - Can you compare the bilateral relations in the period of the current government and the previous government?] - This question reminds me of a joke that ends with the reply: ”It is possible, but would be a pity!”. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the period between 2001 and April 2009 was marked by positive events, the general result will be undoubtedly affected by the final decisions of the Greceanyi Governemnt – the expulsion of Ambassador Teodorescu (an exclusive gesture in the EU), closure of the border, still unsubstantiated accusations that Romania had been involved in the April 7, 2009 events, driving away of our correspondents. We hope that this sad episode will remain the only one as a possible repeat will cause hardly assessable damage to Moldova, especially at foreign level. [ - They speak about the clash of the interests of Romania and Russia on Moldova’s territory. If things stand like this, what do the two countries have to share in Moldova and how is this related to the great interest expressed by Russian companies in the Romanian market?] - Romania is not looking for competitors in Moldova, but for partners. We do not want to clash with somebody. On the contrary, we want to synchronize our efforts with all the international players present in Moldova and together contribute to the positive and ambitious processes taking place here. Our good faith is proven for instance by the establishment, together with France, of Moldova’s Group of Friends, which is an informal ”club” of EU member states that make concerted effort to support Moldova’s European integration. Other examples are: we set up a water supply system in Rosu village together with Germany; alongside the U.S. we assist in the creation of a district transfusion center in Cahul; we supported the agricultural census in concert with Sweden, and so on. As regards the foreign companies’ interest in the Romanian marker, I think that this fact surprises no one. Romania offers numerous business opportunities and this fact is confirmed by the volume of foreign investments made until 2010 – over US$80 billion. [ - I think there are tens of thousands of citizens coming from Moldova, if not more, who over the last 20 years settled in Romania or work or study there and I think only a few Romanian citizens settled in Moldova. Where does this disproportionality or inequity come from?] - First of all, I would like to express Romania’s gratitude for the contribution made by the Bessarabians settled in Romania to modernizing and fostering progress in my country. There are significant communities of Bessarabians, including of Russian ethnicity, in every Romanian town. They chose to settle in our country. I know from my experience more such situations. In my town, a Bessarabian Romanian became the most wanted neurosurgeon, while a Russian woman from Chisinau became not only a valued public servant, but also a popular teacher of foreign languages. As significant is the large number of Bessarabians who work at ministries and other governmental institutions of Romania. It is my luck that one of the excellent diplomats of the Embassy’s team is a Moldovan Romanian. I say this to show I’m sure that Romania can be a good home for the Bessarabians of any ethnicity and that my country offers everyone many possibilities of personal and professional development. I don’t know exactly how many Romanians settled in Moldova, but I can say that those whom I know seem to be very happy. [ - What can you say about what some of the Moldovan political parties named “illegal, massive and organized migration of the Roma from Romania to Moldova”? Why do they accuse the EU rather than Romania of this?] - I apologize, but your question made me remember the fable {the Fly} written by the Bessarabian Alecu Donici. It became a hurting tradition that the parties, which are mostly invisible or facing a continuous shortage of useful ideas, periodically attack Romania and accuse it of either bombarding the levee in Nemteni or sending its wolves over the Prut and other extraordinary things. All these are awkward attempts to profit from Romania’s fame in order to obtain free publicity. As to the “illegal, massive and organized migration of the Roma”, the raising of this theme is a proof of racism and a call to ethnic discrimination. In Europe, any politician who would resort to such kind of propaganda would be discredited for good. [ - What about the accusations that by accepting to host the U.S. anti-rocket system on its territory, Romania endangers the security and ‘even life’ of the Moldovan population? Where is the truth here and what is the goal of promoting such a viewpoint?] - Those who deliver such messages should be probably asked about this. Some of them may be honest to admit that the only way to make themselves known is to invent polemics with Romania. I said it and will reiterate that Romania does not want to be regarded as a factor of the dynamic of the internal policy in Moldova. The Moldovan parties have at hand enough topics that are really relevant for the people. It is not the case to create artificial themes by invoking the ‘Romanian danger’. The paradox is that those who make Romania a perpetual campaign theme accuse us of being too present in Moldova’s internal policy. I think this is a rudimentary political method. In Europe for example, it will cause only stupor. [ - You recently answered the following question, but if I put it to you again it means that not everyone got the answer or the subject affected large groups of people. In fact, this question comes from an acquaintance of mine whose daughter married a man of Moldovan origin in Bucharest: “We approve of the much greater opportunities that Romania offers to our children and grandchildren as regards the salary and the living standards in general. But what will happen to the parents and grandparents from Moldova when Romania joins the Schengen area, how will we meet each other if the border crossing conditions are toughened up? They speak about a new ‘iron curtain’ on the Prut in this case. We would not like praying for Romania not to be accepted into the Schengen area...”] - I thank you for citing this message that impressed me a lot. I agree with its signatories – the existence, but I assure you only temporary, of visas between our countries is painful and we must do our utmost together so that this transitory situation affects as fewer people as possible. It is the reason why Romania, in concert with other EU member states, pleads for the liberalization of the movement of Moldovans in the European Union as soon as possible. This is also the reason why we support the Moldovan authorities in their efforts made in this respect. I want to say that what your government does is not only courageous, but also efficient and gives reasons for optimism. As to Romania’s entry into the Schengen area, I want to reiterate that we already implement consular standards used in the Schengen area. Consequently, most of those who will apply for Romanian visas will sense no difference or most of the people will sense a positive difference – the fact that the Romanian visas will be valid practically all over Europe. Surely, we will have to meet the price conditions of the Schengen area and about 20-30% of the applicants will have to pay for the visa. [ - What is the quality of the Romanian spirit in Romania, in the areas inhabited by the Romanians all over the world and, in particular, in Moldova? What distinctive features does it have now? Is the assertion that the best Moldovans are those who live on the left bank of the Nistru, while the best Romanians are those who live on the left bank of the Prut true?] - You put me in a very difficult situation. I will give you an indirect answer as I cannot answer directly. I would say that a good Romanian speaks the language well and loves it because he understands how many meanings and what wisdom it can give to those who know it. Secondly, a good Romanian knows his culture as he understands that it is the safest method of making common cause with the historical destiny of the people. Thirdly, a good Romanian feels responsible and is aware that he has more obligations than rights. Finally, a good Romanian sees that he lives alongside not-Romanians and understands that he has the luck of sharing the essential things that unite us, beyond the details that separate us. [ - As this is the first interview of Info-Prim Neo with Your Excellency, I want to ask you if you consider yourself a typical Romanian How many Romanians have six children as you, know five languages and obtained education in a number of areas and universities, including at Sorbonne?] - There are no typical persons, Romanians or non-Romanians. There are only exceptional persons on the basis of whom the statisticians draw up their tables, extracting typical elements from the unrepeatable configuration of every personality. [ - It seems to me your sixth child was born in Chisinau or when you started to work as Ambassador in Chisinau. How many of your children stay with you in Chisinau? Do they go to Moldovan schools and kindergartens?] - Sebastian was born in Rome not long before I started work in Chisinau. But I would say he was born with the thought to Chisinau as I knew then that I will be appointed as Ambassador to Moldova. All our children live with us. The eldest children – Vladimir, Olga, Matei and Toma – attend the High School “Prometeu” in Chisinau. [ - Did your opinion about the people living in Moldova change somehow since you took up your duties in Chisinau?] - My most positive expectations were met. [Valeriu Vasilica, Info-Prim Neo]