Vladimir Voronin blames Romania for disrespecting the principles at the basis of the relationship with Moldova

The incumbent President of Romania Traian Basescu, just like his predecessor Ion Iliescu, has offended the principles lying at the basis of the relationship with Moldova, President Vladimir Voronin stated during a televised show on NIT channel. Vladimir Voronin said that during the first couple of visits with his Romanian counterpart the two heads of state agreed upon a set of principles for the development of the bilateral relations, but shortly after that they were violated. One of the reasons for making statements about the Republic of Moldova is that the presidents of Romania have supporters that owned land here in Moldova before 1940, and they hope for a retrocession in the event of a Union, emphasised Vladimir Voronin. The President of Moldova asserts that the Romanian authorities are not interested in seeing the Transnistria problem solved. The head of state suggested they are afraid that a final solution to the conflict would kill the idea of a Greater Romania. “They think that if the Transnistrian issue is solved – so long, Greater Romania”, Voronin specified. The Moldovan President rejected the criticism that he is anti-Romanian, adding that he is obliged to defend the interests if Moldova. “We will no bow and scrape neither before the Big Brother in the East nor the Step Sister in the West. We will react adequately to all the attempts on the position and role of the Republic of Moldova”, the head of state said. There are many areas where help from Romania would be welcome, “but they raise the language issue. {…} We have always been Moldovans, we have always spoken Moldovan and we don’t need anyone to tell us who we are and what language we speak” the President said, adding that “the Romanian language is the granddaughter of the Moldovan language”. In conclusion, Vladimir Voronin said he was ready to talk the existing issues over with his Romanian counterpart.