IPN analysis: The Republic of Moldova managed to transform the recent political crisis from a serious handicap into a not hoped for benefit. It is one of the conclusions that can be reached following Prime Minister Iurie Leanca’s visit to Brussels.

In the relations with the European Union, Moldova managed to transform the recent political crisis, which was the most profound and longest in its history after the proclamation of independence, from a serious handicap into a not hoped for benefit. This is one of the conclusions that can be drown from Prime Minister Iurie Leanca’s last weekend visit to Brussels. There are at least two motives for such a twist: 1) A part of the Moldovan political class succeeded in overcoming themselves and in contributing to solving the crisis when there were almost no chances. At foreign level, it meant the real or mimed confirmation of the country’s European course; 2) The European Commission, which now represents the whole European Union, learned the lesson given by the Moldovan politicians and does not want to allow the crisis to repeat. A new shadow on the ‘success story of the EaP’ would have rather serious consequences for the current composition of the Commission and would significantly influence the results of the 2014 European elections and, respectively, the political fate of the current European functionaries and the political parties they represent.

Technical and quantitative indices of visit

According to certain criteria, the visit of June 13-15 was rather a flying visit because it was prepared during only several days. The Leanca Government was voted in on May 30 and was sworn in the next day. Until then, there was an acting Government and Prime Minister with reduced and even challenged powers. No high-level meetings are usually held in such situations. Even if the preparations for the visit started on the first workday, on June 3, the weekend followed and the great chancelleries are not used to working in emergencies, not speaking about several chancelleries at one time. However, during the visit of one day and a half in Brussels, Iurie Leanca had meetings every 1-2 hours, with practically all the most important players of the European Commission and not only. Given the very short term of the visit and the tight program of the officials of such a ranking, things can be explained only by the special adaptation of their schedules to the Moldovan Premier’s schedule. This adaptation shows that Brussels is very interested in such visits.

Only this way can we explain the fact that Iurie Leanca met, according to a communiqué from the governmental press service, with the Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevicius, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule, President of the European People’s Party Wilfried Martens, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malstrom, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Cioloş, Helga Schmid, assistant of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Aston, Foreign Minister of Belgium Didier Reynders, co-chairwoman of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with Moldova Monica Macovei, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and other ‘officials’ as well as the second meetings with some of them, according to the same communiqué. Maybe it was necessary to put all these names and posts together to justify the thesis of the visit’s importance both for Moldova and the EU, forgive the Moldovan non-modesty. In the same non-modest context, most of those with whom Leanca met accepted the invitation to pay visits to Moldova. A part of the visits were already scheduled for the next weeks or months.

Qualitative indices

Iurie Leanca returned home with €90 million. Supposedly, the decision to provide this money now was taken ad hoc, for this visit, as the EU didn’t have whom to give it and didn’t know if it’s worth giving it in general. A part of the money is for reforming justice and we hope it will be used namely for the purpose as, in fact, this is the reform of reforms for Moldova, which is to ensure the functionality of the state institutions, with all the very important derivatives for people and society. Another part of the money is for implementing the Association Agreement and the Free Trade Agreement that were not yet initialed in Vilnius and not yet signed after Vilnius. But the fact that somebody gives money for their implementation represents an additional hope that the agreements will be initialed and signed, and implemented. At least, those who give money will make sure that this happens so as not to have to answer for an unjustified waste of money.  

Iurie Leanca also returned with the date when the construction works on the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline will start. The works on the gas pipeline that will lay real basis for ensuring Moldova’s energy independence and not only will begin on the Independence Day.

The visit showed that the Europeans transform Moldova further into a center of weight for their symbol activities in the Eastern Partnership area. Furthermore, they intend to massively transfer experience and expertise through a conference organized in Chisinau, which will involve the agriculture ministers of the EU and EaP member states. They also plan to stage in Chisinau the Summit of EaP Heads of State and Government who are members of the European People’s Party on July 11 already. Also, a Civil Society Forum will be held in October in Moldova, for the first time outside the EU.

These and other powerful signals addressed to Moldova show that the EU is ready to go very far in supporting the country’s European course. However, the EU may fall into its own trap if Moldova turns out to be an unreliable partner. Yet, this can be a chance for Moldova and us all. We, the political class and society in general, must now show if we want and can cope with the own expectations for a better life.

Valeriu Vasilică, IPN