Moldova’s security depends a lot on the Government’s capacity to solve internal and external problems, while Latvia banks greatly on the support of the EU and NATO of which it forms part. Such an answer was given by the Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics in an interview for IPN entitled “Association is not last stage in relations between EU and Moldova”, when he was asked about the danger of Russia’s ‘Ukraine scenario’ repeating in the two states.
“In the history of international politics, there is no single scenario for everyone. I think we examined well, together with my interlocutors, the matter of Moldova’s security and in this case a lot depends on the Government’s orientation and on the information campaign centering on the European integration process in relation to Gagauzia and Transnistria. Now a lot depends on the way in which the Government acts. We, for our part, will be able to help you with advice, money, but the responsibility is borne by the country itself,” said the Latvian minister.
According to him, one of the solutions that would help Moldova overcome the security-related problems in the current difficult regional and geopolitical situation is for the political class to strengthen around the European idea.
“The strengthening of the political class is a matter related to your internal policy. Neither we nor the EU or other countries have the right to interfere in the internal political processes. But we all should understand that now the geopolitical situation is considerably different from the one that existed two years ago, before the events in Ukraine, before the Maidan, before Donbas and Crimea. I certainly discussed this with the leaders of the parties with whom I met and I saw that they realize this because we must not look at what was there in the past, but should look at the future,” Edgars Rinkevics said in the interview for IPN.
The Latvian official paid a visit to Moldova at the end of last week. In the first half of this year, Latvia is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Eastern Partnership Summit will take place in Riga on May 21-22 this year.
