Stanislav Belkovsky: “Moldova can become EU member only after union with Romania”

Moldova cane become a member of the EU only with Romania’s help and after the union with Romania, Russian analyst Stanislav Belkovsky said in an interview broadcast by Radio Free Europe, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. Thus, Belkovsky confirmed his own plan for settling the Transnistrian dispute that he presented five years and a half ago in Bucharest. The plan envisioned Moldova’s union with Romania and granting of independence to Transnistria as a result of this union. The analyst considers that the plan continues to be relevant to the basic and historical trends developing in the region. According to him, these trends are more powerful and deep than the politicians that come to power and then lose it. “We cannot know yet if and when these trends are fructified,” Belkovsky said. Belkovsky considers that Moldova cannot enter the EU by itself. “First of all because European Union does not want to expand, either now or in the near future. It has a lot of problems accumulated after the previous expansions. There are many controversies between the new and old Europe. I do not think that the EU is ready to assume new problems that will come together with the accession of new members from the post-Soviet area. Consequently, Moldova can become a member of the EU only with Romania’s help and after the union with Romania. Undoubtedly, this process can take place only with the consent of the basic geopolitical players, that is not only the EU, but also the United States, which is the only superpower in the modern world.” In this connection, the analyst said that the solution to the Transnistrian conflict is in Bucharest and in Chisinau. “If the elites in Bucharest and Chisinau understand that they need integration and come to share the opinion that they are two countries that separate one people, the major geopolitical players could be convinced easier.” According to Stanislav Belkovsky, the fact that about 70% of Moldova’s population is in favor of integration into the EU, but do not accept the possibility of fulfilling this desideratum by union with Romania, is determined by the position of the elites. “During two decades, these people have received some kind of apologies from these elites that assure them the union with Romania will not take place. Thus, the phobias of the start of the 1990s continue. Today yet, the union with Romania is not treated as a catastrophe, but as a strategic perspective. In addition, the removal of the Communists from power is a rather important factor. The political elites administer the nations and set objectives that must become targets for the nations. Consequently, I think the opinion of the about 70% is not fatal. The opinion will change when the union becomes real,” the analyst said.