Former President of Romania Traian Basescu said his role in Moldovan politics, as the president of honor of the National Unity Party, is to persuade as many citizens as possible to support the union of the two Romanian states, Romania and Moldova. Speaking at a press club meeting with Romanian language journalists on October 19, Traian Basescu reiterated that only the union with Romania can bring Moldova closer to the European Union, IPN reports.
Traian Basescu said now that he stopped becoming involved in politics in Romania, he can make his rich experience accumulated during two terms as mayor of Bucharest, two terms as President of Romania and as minister of transport in five governments useful to the Republic of Moldova. “I will devote my efforts to convince the citizens that the union is necessary. I come to stimulate activism in the Republic of Moldova. It is a matter of conscience. I do not want posts in the Republic of Moldova,” he stated.
The ex-President of Romania noted that Moldova has to now choose between the East and the West, with the Western option being the choice of the citizens, while the Eastern one of the Party of Socialists that is close to President Igor Dodon, who uses the dissatisfaction of those affected by the transition in someone’s interests. Pro-Russians’ argument that the integration into the Eurasian Union is the only viable one for developing Moldova is not solid.
According to Traian Basescu, Moldova’s geographical position and Moldovan culture are incompatible with the Eurasian course to which the President tends. “Only naivety can make us believe that the Eurasian Union can save us. This has no prospects either in terms of state security or of the people’s prosperity. The union is the only viable solution. Being a NATO member, Romania will generate security for the common space and, being an EU member, will generate prosperity,” he stated.
The politician also noted that if the two states unite, the challenge related to the Transnistrian region is predictable and this can be dealt with by talks with the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The local decentralization that is much more advanced in Romania, the salary and pensions systems that will have to be balanced out and adjusted and these processes will entail enormous costs will be other challenges. The later the union takes place, the greater the costs will be as the two states develop in different conditions.
Speaking about Moldova’s European perspective, the ex-President said the EU enlargement priorities are centered on the Balkan area. During the next 15-20 years, the EU will have no extension objective covering Moldova. “The Prut is the EU’s eastern border. The Republic of Moldova has the chance of remaining with the Association Agreement at most,” he said, adding that the shortest road to Brussels goes through Bucharest.
Asked about a possible involvement in the unification of the pro-European forces in Moldova before the 2018 parliamentary elections, Traian Basescu said the intention is to support the creation of a unionist party. However, the pro-Europeans are not excluded from eventual cooperation. Honesty is the big problem of politicians who promote the Europeanization. The leader of the Democratic Party Vlad Plahotniuc is not trusted when it is about the union of the pro-European and pro-unionist forces. ‘”I will have no problems discussing with Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase, but Vlad Plahotniuc will never be my dialogue partner,” concluded Traian Basescu.
