The former President of Romania Traian Basescu considers that Moldova’s application for becoming a candidate for accession to the EU will be rejected if this application is filed now. According to him, this is a premature step as the country has yet a lot to do to meet the standards needed to become part of the EU. “Those who sell illusions that the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with the EU means a guaranteed European perspective either do not know what they say or know, but do not consider it necessary to tell things as they are. That’s why and given the situation in the region, I think that Moldova must have alternatives,” Traian Basescu said in a news conference given in Chisinau on April 3, IPN reports.
Traian Basescu stated that Ukraine’s lesson, with the harsh reaction of Moscow when this country announced its intention to come closer to the EU and NATO, should be taken into account because Russia will not accept states like Ukraine and Moldova to integrate into the security systems of NATO and will not easily accept the integration into the economic systems of the EU. Moldova should also have the scenario of forced union with Romania so as not to return to a system controlled by Moscow.
Asked about the importance of political will in implementing reforms and fighting corruption, Basescu said that the political will counts a lot as it accelerates or decelerates processes. Romania needed 14 years to enter the EU after it signed the Free Trade Agreement because there were fluctuations in the political approach. The preparation of the start of the negotiations on entering the EU depends on the reformation of institutions, with the politicians bearing primary responsibility in this respect.
Asked how the justice sector should be reformed so that Moldova also has a National Anticorruption Directorate as Romania, Traian Basescu said it is a matter of time, but appropriate legislation is first of all needed and the prosecutors and judges should be aware of the new legal provisions. Naming suitable persons in the legal system is the key problem. “Determined and independent persons must be found, who would answer only before the law. We also thought we will not find people, but you should take into account the fact that there is no perfect justice system. The justice system can be good, but must offer certainty that the largest part of the court decisions are correct. The politicians must decide that they should no longer become involved in justice,” he stated.
As to the Transnistrian dispute, the former Romanian head of state said Russia will not leave Transnistria, as it will not leave Crimea or eastern Ukraine. As regards Gagauzia, he stated that it is a hot point on Moldova’s map and such a point is not the best thing for the country’s security. The Government of Moldova should engage representatives of the Gagauz minority in decision-making, as Romania did in the case of the Hungarian minority.
Asked to state his opinion about the minority government led by Chiril Gaburici, Traian Basescu said it is a Government. Afterward he said he wants Ghimpu’s Liberals to also form part of the executive now that the political will is fundamental for doing reforms.
