Implementation of EUBAM Mission is the only progress in Moldova’s foreign relations in the last two years - Nicolae Tiu

The development of international relations of Moldova in the last two years was determined by the implementation of the EU-Moldova Action Plan, but the expectations were beyond the reality, said Nicolae Tiu, ex-Foreign Minister of Moldova, former ambassador in the USA, Canada and Mexico, in an interview given to Info-Prim Neo, with respect to the 2nd anniversary of the parliamentary elections of March 6, 2005. As Tiu says, the Plan’s implementation advanced very slowly, while certain sectors did not see any progress at all. In this respect, the diplomat referred to issues regarding the promotion of reforms in the judicial field and transformation of “Teleradio-Moldova” Company into a real public institution. As regards the foreign trade, adequate policies on exports promotion were not implemented in this filed either. The implementation of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) is the single positive result, and it is due to the support provided by Brussels, Tiu said. Regarding the Moldova-Russia relations in this period, Nicolae Tiu stated that Moscow was always “jealous” of Moldova’s relations with EU. “Any step of Chisinau towards Europe was neutralised by Russia’s counteractions. Even the embargo imposed on certain goods exported from Moldova represents an echo of the relations between Moldova and EU”, he specified. Referring to the Moldova-Romania relations, Tiu labelled the recent statements addressing Moldova’s western neighbour as a “tittle-tattle politics”. The cited source stated that bad relations with Romania will not help Moldova in joining the EU quicker. It is needed to pass from the war of statements to pragmatic relations. As a result of the parliamentary elections of March 6, 2005, three political parties entered the Parliament – Communist Party with 56 mandates, “Democratic Moldova” Bloc (BMD) with 34 and PPCD with 11 MPs. Later, several groups of MPs detached from BMD, some of them forming the faction of the Democratic Party, the others became unaffiliated, and those who remained formed the “Moldova Noastra” Alliance. Also, three MPs left the parliamentary faction of PPCD.