Poland’s Ambassador to Moldova Bartłomiej Zdaniuk says people need to understand that European integration doesn’t mean that things will happen by themselves, in terms of reforms or otherwise. In an interview with IPN, the ambassador stated that only through hard work, and through commitments that are assumed and respected, can Moldova benefit from the opportunities that come with European integration, as the EU stands ready to help.
“Look at the European Union as a springboard. I mean it’s an instrument, and it depends on you how you use it. We the Poles achieved progress in infrastructure, with roads and airports built, but nobody from the EU comes to actually build them for you. There should be an internal capacity to manage such projects: financial capacity and, first of all, institutional. The EU comes with the funds. So you want to make this big leap forward, but the leap itself has to be executed with skill, and the springboard is there for you to do it. The same thing exists between the EU and partner countries from the Eastern neighborhood and other areas. It’s an offer, a proposition, but it depends on every country in particular how this opportunity is taken advantage of”, says Bartłomiej Zdaniuk.
The ambassador notes that the Eastern Partnership was created ten years ago with the notion of solidarity at its core, a word that carries special symbolism for the Poles and which continues to guide them both at national and international level. “Our approach towards others stems from this concept as well. We do not think Poland should be a country with closed borders and fences that would keep us isolated and not interested in whatever happens outside. It’s quite the opposite. This is why, ten years ago Poland, together with our Swedish partners, proposed this platform called the Eastern Partnership designed for the countries from the Eastern neighborhood of the European Union. It’s a format that aims to accelerate the process of getting closer to the EU or leave a door open for such rapprochement in the future. The reasons are very simple – everybody wants to be surrounded by a favorable and stable environment. The more stable and prosperous the Eastern neighborhood is, the more attractive Poland will become for investors, both domestic and foreign”, explained the ambassador.
As for the evolution of the EaP member countries, the ambassador points out that a broader approach is needed because it is not a uniform process for all. There are six partner countries and each country has a different situation, its own path, so it would be an oversimplification to take only a few examples to measure the overall results of this Partnership.
The ambassador notes that all six are also former Soviet republics with their specific development conditions. “I mentioned earlier how big Poland’s setback was due to the communist system imposed from outside. So obviously the setback experienced by the nations that were directly part of the Soviet Union is even greater. True, there are three former Soviet countries that have already joined the EU, NATO and other institutions. But we should understand that every nation has a different history. Poland is a state with a very long history, with a clear, consolidated identity, culture and language. Nobody questions these elements. In the post-Soviet countries the situation is quite different. Each country has its own past, but one that was much more complex, and still remains so today in all these six countries. As far as the Republic of Moldova is concerned, there are different views on statehood: what kind of state do we want to have and what kind of state project do we have now? And we can see that a debate is going on in Moldova about this. It’s of course not for foreign diplomats to make any comments about this – we are just stating a fact here”, says Bartłomiej Zdaniuk.
So, the ambassador goes on, a lot of patience is needed, because European integration will not automatically take away all the issues with the constructions of the state. “I’d like to be crystal-clear: I’m not saying let’s build a state and then seek to join the EU. Nor am I saying let’s put statehood on hold for now, join the EU and go back to the state-building business later. These should be done in parallel and in close connection with each other”.
The diplomat says opportunities have created by mutual agreement, with documents signed the EU and Moldova, and there are commitments assumed by Moldova. And not to do one’s bidding, but for the benefit of the people of Moldova. “We went through the same difficulties, the same hurdles, and we too were a nation with many challenges and problems. We have walked this road, we know these difficulties, these challenges and we know what the problems are. And we say the same thing - reforms must be implemented,” stated Ambassador Bartłomiej Zdaniuk interview with IPN.