Igor Corman: We need to understand Germany’s interest, in order to accomplish Moldova’s interests

{Info-Prim Neo interview with Igor Corman, president of Parliamentary Commission on Foreign Policy and European Integration, ex-Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Germany} [- Besides prestige – Moldova, one of the most insignificant politics and economics-wise European countries, is about to be visited by the leader of one of the most important countries in Europe and the rest of the world – what is the importance of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Chisinau?] - This visit, actually, embodies the 20-year-long ascension of Moldovan-German bilateral relations, recently celebrated. Moldova is a European country, and it is natural that, if the dialogue progresses, leaders will visit to confirm its importance. Additionally, we must observe this visit within a regional context. Germany has always given increased importance to the Eastern dimension, a development of the EU Neighborhood Policy, and few remember that this initiative assimilated by Sweden and Poland had initially been launched by Germany. I am not saying that we are moving in a swirling tempo, but compared to the other partner countries Moldova is a leader, through the changes following 2009. And through this visit, the Chancellor comes to send a message, saying that Moldova is on the right track through its European integration reforms, and to give a message to the others, since the Chancellor hadn’t really visited any other countries from the region recently. For us, the visit is important both in the political context of European integration, as a message from the European Union, as well as a message towards the European Union as a whole. Germany approves our deeds, and other countries will take this position into account. The visit is important, not only politically, but also economically, representing an encouragement signal for investors. We already have important German companies in Moldova, such as Sudzucker, Knauf, Mabanaft, Shtaleman, Dresel Mayer, et al, and this visit is a message for German investors, saying that things are going well in this country; there are no risks to investing here, although we still have many issues regarding our investment climate. [- What are Moldova’s major interests regarding this visit?] - Our priorities are clear. First: advance our dialogue as fast as possible in our dialogue with Brussels, and in this context, by the end of next year, to have finalized the Association Agreement negotiations, Moldova’s part being the creation of the Free Trade Zone with the European Union. And, parallel to the aforementioned, a very important and sensitive issue for us all, to liberalize the visa regime. [- Do we rely on Germany as our advocate?] - I am certain that without Berlin, Paris, and several other important European capitals, we have no chances to finish what we have started. Until now we managed to adopt the entire necessary legislative framework, and we must prove to Brussels that our laws work. But, besides this, we need political will in all European aspects. In this context, Berlin plays an extraordinarily important role. When talking about our country’s economy, it is well-known that German investors are the most serious ones; they come with technologies, constructive approaches, and don’t merely seek fabulous profits. Additionally, let’s not forget about the process of the European security architecture, in which Germany is an incontestable leader. The Transnistrian conflict is also part of the existing problems, in this sense. Angela Merkel made a statement in 2010, along with Dmitri Medvedev, saying that Germany and Russia have committed to supporting a constructive approach in the resolution of the Transnistrian conflict. Although Germany is not part of the 5+2 format, we very well know the intensity of the dialogue between Berlin and Moscow, and their mutual economic interests. Over 60% of the gas used in Germany comes from Russia, and Russia is very interested in selling gas at stable prices to Europe, including Germany. Russian authorities are highly interested in modernizing their country, and most of the tech comes from Germany. Within this dialogue between Berlin and Moscow lies our chance to move the Transnistrian settlement talks from this stalemate position. [- Can we anticipate any concrete result in the sense of advancing the negotiations on the Transnistrian settlement? Until now, there have been a great many speculations of scenarios for Angela Merkel’s visit to Moldova…] - There are too many speculations on this subject, and I am one-hundred-percent convinced that none of them have a real basis. I have been Ambassador to Germany for 5 years, and have worked there for another 4. I know the Germans, and am familiar to their approach. We are not in 1940 anymore. The world has changed in these 70 years. The Germans cannot impose absolutely anything on us. The situation very much depends on the agreements between Chisinau and Tiraspol. We must have a regulation plan, and know our limits in reaching a compromise. Evidently, the Russian Federation, through its known traditional methods, plays another role here, and influences the process according to its interests, i.e. the interest of re-establishing its authority on this area. We can already sense a competition between the Eurasian Union, which the Russians are trying to develop, and the European Union. Whereas Germany has a whole other approach; it could only contribute through its relationship with Russia. [- Up to this point we have predominantly talked about Moldova’s interests in this visit. Politics is a field far-fetched from that of well-being; what are Germany’s potential interests in this case?] - Indeed, politics is not charity, all the more in the case of Germans, who are realistic and pragmatic. We are familiar to the term “realpolitik”, ever since Bismarck’s advocacy of it. This is a rather good question, and a country must ask itself, each time, what the interests of the other country in relation to it are, in order to accomplish its own interests. The Germans surely have their interests to it. Firstly, I was saying that Moldova is a “success story” within the Eastern Partnership, and here lies a major interest of the Europeans, including the Germans. They are very interested in seeing at least one flickering in this Eastern area, where things are not going that well. Moreover, Moldova is a small country. It is one thing to reform Ukraine, with its 45 million residents, and all of the industry, and major gas problems with Russia, and metallurgy and so on, and bring it to European standards, and it is a whole other thing to do so in Moldova. If we had more political will and concentrated on work more than on PR actions and elections, then we would truly be able to make this move, with the help of the Europeans, since it is also in their interests. Second, we must understand that their major interest is to have stability at the borders. The European Union does not want to have nidi at its borders, doesn’t want poverty. If a neighboring country is poor and unstable, of course the citizens will “jump over the fence”, cross the border, with a visa, without a visa, importing great troubles for the locals. Europeans want a stability belt between the EU and the poorer neighboring areas, and Moldova is at the border of the European Union. We must understand this strategic interest of the European Union, and Germany in particular, and utilize the instruments it offers, starting from their own interests, in order to accomplish our own. What is our interest? To build a developed European country, where citizens can peacefully stay at home, with decent salaries and pensions… [Valeriu Vasilica, Info-Prim Neo]