Moldova will be unable to combine two regulatory systems, of the European Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States. That’s why it will have to make a choice. If it chooses the EU, the CIS system will stop being a comfortable one, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Alexei Likhachev stated for RIA Novosti Agency, quoted by IPN.
According to the Russian official, this message was sent to the Moldovan authorities, which said yet that they will be able to overcome the situation of discomfort.
Alexei Likhachev said the Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU involves risks for Russia too. Moscow has a pragmatic position, related strictly to the economic part of this situation, not to the political choice of Moldova.
He added that the current cooperation agreement within the CIS enables the Customs Union to institute economic protection mechanisms if a CIS member state creates a free trade area with a third party.
Russia proposed Moldova to set up a tripartite consultations commission involving the EU to examine all the risks entailed by the signing of the Association Agreement.
