The pro-European parties in Chisinau didn’t assume clear pro-NATO messages as such rhetoric implies particular electoral costs, said the director of the Information and Documentation Center on NATO in Moldova Ion Tăbîrță. According to him, the Republic of Moldova, unlike Ukraine and Georgia, wants to join the EU, but rejects the idea of joining NATO. For his part, ex-secretary of state of the Ministry of Defense Radu Burduja said that NATO is a defensive body and the Russian propaganda transformed the North Atlantic Alliance into a scarecrow so as to create an image of foreign enemy, IPN reports.
The former secretary of state noted that the number of citizens who want Moldova to join NATO remains relatively low as the Russian propaganda created a diabolic image for NATO. The blame is borne by the political elites that hesitated to assume clear pro-NATO rhetoric.
“NATO is a defensive entity. NATO was founded to prevent the expansion of the Soviet Union. NATO only reacted to the Soviet Union’s actions and later to Russia’s actions. That’s why the Russian propaganda tried to distort the role of this body. They created a diabolic image as such narrative was needed in order to keep power, to unite the country. These are clichés, stereotypes that are still present. Polls show a slight rise in the number of those who want the country to join NATO, but the figure remains at 20-25%. This is due to the deficient strategic communication,” Radu Burduja stated in the program “Emphasis on Today” on TVR Moldova channel.
The head of the Information and Documentation Center on NATO in Moldova also considers Moldovans’ reservations about NATO are the blame of the pro-European forces that didn’t assume clear pro-NATO messages for electoral reasons.
“As to NATO’s image in the Republic of Moldova, we should note that in the 1990s this subject was a neutral one. If we look at polls, in 2004-2005 the parentage of those who considered that NATO ensured security more than neutrality at particle stages was even greater or the figures were almost equal. These priorities started to change after 2005, when the possible accession of Ukraine and Georgia to NATO started to be discussed. Then, the Russian propaganda started to fuel clichés that were inherited by our society in the Soviet times. This negative aspect of NATO in Moldovan society increased then. The pro-European parties didn’t assume clear pro-NATO messages due to particular electoral costs. The Republic of Moldova is different from the other countries that want the European integration. Ukraine and Georgia, which want to join the EU, also speak about entry into NATO. This is not the case of the Republic of Moldova,” stated Ion Tăbîrță.
The NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană paid a visit to Moldova on Thursday. The official had discussions with senior state officials on the Republic of Moldova’s cooperation with NATO and strengthening of the National Army’s capacities. In connection with the war in Ukraine, Mircea Geoană noted that NATO doesn’t see military risks posed by Russia to the Republic of Moldova.
