Historian and publicist Gheorghe Cojocaru considers the statements made by President Igor Dodon can now be only a signal of alarm for decision makers in Brussels, but many things can change in this direction in the medium term, if the Party of Socialists wins the next legislative elections, IPN reports.
In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Gheorghe Cojocaru said the first visit made by President Igor Dodon to Brussels, which followed the one to Moscow, generally matched the tone of his attitude to the European Union, which was witnessed in the election campaign last year. As a matter of principle, the President kept the critical tone towards the relationship between the EU and Moldova and reasserted the warning that the Association Agreement will be scraped if the Party of Socialists emerges victorious in the early or ordinary parliamentary elections. He also promoted the idea of a trilateral Brussels – Chisinau – Moscow arrangement that he also raised on the occasion of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is practically for the first time that a Head of State states such a position on the EU authorities.
The historian reminded that before the President’s visit to Brussels, the presidential administration made public a report on the development of the relations with the EU during the last few years. This seemed to give an increased degree of objectivity to the President’s approach before the high-ranking EU officials. Among others, the institution of such a practice is welcome and useful.
“It is yet regrettable that the presidential administration didn’t present such a report before Igor Dodon’s visit to Russia too,” stated Gheorghe Cojocaru.
He also said it seems that the President is really preoccupied with the idea of instituting a balance between the two directions of Moldova’s foreign policy, but the balance policy is not simple and it would be a mistake to believe that this can be ensured by mechanically inclining the balance in the wanted direction. It is much more important to help society find an invigorating balance before making one turn or another in the sphere of foreign policy.
