The crises in the Republic of Moldova, many of which were caused intentionally, significantly affect the European course. The responsibility for the current stagnation is borne both by the political class that simulates the implementation of the European agenda and by the population that does not take steps, but waits for support. In such conditions, there are no more possibilities for overcoming the current situation and civil society, which in most of the cases was used by the politicians to create an image before the foreign partners, counts a lot on the support of the development partners that could encourage the reformation process and change the Moldovan society’s perception of the EU. Such opinions were stated in the public debate “Why do the crises in Moldova affect the European integration? View of the participants in the General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Kiev. The Assembly’s Resolution on Moldova”, which was staged by IPN in partnership with Radio Moldova.
Ion Manole, facilitator of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and executive director of “Promo-Lex” Association, said that in the recently held forum, the representatives of Moldova’s civil society expressed their concern about the situation in Moldova and attempts were made to identify solutions to it. For the purpose, the National Platform initiated and obtained the adoption by the General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum of a Resolution on the political situation in the Republic of Moldova. In a developed society, both the political class and civil society have their own role, but cooperate between them. The Moldovan authorities have lately simulated this cooperation in order to favor the relations with the European partners. The representatives of civil society were invited to dialogue, were listened to, but nothing was done afterward and their opinions were not taken into account.
Lilia Carasciuc, ex-facilitator of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and director of Transparency International Moldova, said that in a rather short period of time, the country faced rather many crises. When the governments come and go, there is nobody who can be held responsible for what was promised. Each new government promises to take measures to combat corruption, which is one of the most acute problems, but each of them promotes their own interests, while the European integration process is delayed.
Eugen Roscovanu, a member of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and head of the Small Business Association, said that in the past Moldova seemed to be a state without problems in the social, economic and political spheres, but now civil society decided to say it loudly that this is not so. Things worsen and we can no longer keep silent to look good. Many of the witnessed phenomena and crises were generated and didn’t appear out of the blue. In an unstable and uncertain situation, it’s easier for the large companies to do business, sometimes illegally, without being afraid of being punished. It happened so in the case of the stolen billions of lei because the stealing was committed when the situation was hot.
IPN project’s permanent expert Igor Botan, executive director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, who was invited to take part in the General Assembly in Kiev, said the crises seriously affect the European integration process and this thing is visible when only 20% of the provisions of the Association Agreement were fulfilled at a time when the country signed an agreement and there is a plan of action for implementing it. The political class is mainly to blame for this stagnation because they know what they have to do, but the personal interests are the source of all evils. Society is also to blame because it tolerates these abuses of the elites that rob the people. If society does not emanate shock waves towards the governors, the country will face very serious challenges.
The public debate “Why do the crises in Moldova affect the European integration? View of the participants in the General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Kiev. The Assembly’s Resolution on Moldova” is the 46th installment of the series of debates “Developing political culture by public debates”, which are supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
