For now, the Moldovan authorities manage to prudently ensure a balance in their statements, approaches and positions in the context of the dangers posed by Russia’s war against Ukraine and to show that the country helps the attacked side with what it can. However, a future lesson is for Moldova to review its military policies and remain a neutral state without joining any bloc, but the citizens should be able to defend their homeland if this is attacked, until our army becomes a professional one, sociologist Vadim Pistrinciuc, executive director of the Institute for Strategic Policies and Initiatives, said in a public debate staged by IPN.
The authorities try not to allow situations that would engage Moldova in hostilities. Meetings are held and a support platform for Moldova was created. An unprecedented number of Presidents visited the county. Even if the senior officials speak about the building of the country’s security resilience, all the messages are in favor of non-involvement in the conflict, except for the humanitarian aspect that Moldova fully assumed. The war had an extraordinary impact on Moldova and it is impossible to speak about stability in Moldova as it is not known how this war will evolve.
The expert considers the new military support package for Ukraine approved by the U.S. Senate shows that the war will continue as the Russian side is also not predisposed to a dialogue. This will affect Moldova further. The authorities react swiftly, while society is divided, very mobile and different. Polls show many people cannot formulate an opinion about this war. Even if the propaganda is eliminated from the media, the people inform themselves rather through the Internet and many are influenced by the Russian propaganda.
Vadim Pistrinciuc said the citizens should trust the state institutions that are as they are, but manage to cope. He welcomes the stance of the senior administration that applies active neutrality. As a result, the U.S., the EU show support to Moldova.
The authorities should prepare the population for exceptional situations. The fact that the Russian propaganda challenges the existence of the Ukrainian nation is something related to phantasy, but this shows that the war will yet last as the Ukrainians are a strong nation and state that will not give up. Moldova should review its military, civil protection policies based on the lessons learned from this war, without renouncing neutrality yet.
The public debate titled “Real situation and useful reaction of Moldovan society to provocations around Transnistrian region” was the 241th installment of IPN’s project “Developing Political Culture through Public Debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
