The European Union took over the economic maintenance of the Republic of Moldova, said senior fellow of the Jamestown Foundation Vladimir Socor. According to him, without the financial support of the European Union, the Moldovan authorities wouldn’t have managed to cope with the overlapping crises that hit the country. The Republic of Moldova now has the historic chance to considerably advance on the path of European integration as the government is well-intentioned and the European chancelleries show unprecedented openness, IPN reports.
Expert Vladimir Socor noted that after the Party of Action and Solidarity came to power, the Republic of Moldova committed itself to follow the path of European integration. There is yet a risk that forces loyal to the Kremlin will take over particular territorial entities, by the model of the election in Gagauzia, at the general local elections.
“The current situation in the Republic of Moldova is much more encouraging than it was four years ago as the pro-European political forces triumphed at the presidential and parliamentary elections. At the same time, the reform agenda was derailed by international crises. The overcoming of these crises wouldn’t have been possible without the European Union’s support. The EU took over the financing of the Republic of Moldova. The country’s population survived owing to the financing coming from the European Union, while financing from Russia is equal to zero. The local elections are coming and there is a danger that particular parties under the direction of Ilan Shor will capture territorial enclaves at these elections. Gagauzia is already under their control, as is Taraclia town,” Vladimir Socor explained in the program “Expertise Hour” on JurnalTV channel.
The political commentator expressed his confidence that the pro-Russian forces will not be able to destabilize the situation in the country, while the pro-European course will be maintained both at the local elections and at the presidential election of 2024 and the parliamentary elections of 2025.
“The Present’s Office, the Government and the Parliament for the first time in the history of the Republic of Moldova are controlled by the same political force that is fully pro-European, fully honest and incorrupt and with powerful acknowledgement of the national interest. It is an unprecedented advantage in the history of the Republic of Moldova. The second advantage is that the West looks at Russia today in a different way, as at an uncomforted adversary against which measures should be taken. Furthermore, the European Union took over the economic maintenance of the Republic of Moldova, while Russia has its access to the Republic of Moldova cut from territorial viewpoint. There is one more favorable aspect. The Republic of Moldova is officially an accession candidate with a set schedule - 2030. All these things make me optimistic,” said Vladimir Socor.
General local elections will take place in the Republic of Moldova on November 5. The voters are to elect 898 mayors and over 11,000 local councilors.
