The citizens of Moldova will soon decide on the future of their democracy and their alignment with Europe and the Western world.
Latvia, along with the other Baltic states—Estonia and Lithuania—made this decision back in 1990 when we regained our independence. While still under Soviet occupation, we actively fought for the collapse of the Soviet Empire, which had become a “prison of nations” under Russian control. And we succeeded.
Today, nearly two generations later, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are stable and prosperous nations.
For the past 20 years, we have been equal members of the European Union. We actively participate in the political and economic decisions of the Union, help to shape compromises among the member states of the European family, and contribute to the development of the EU's foreign policy.
We are proud of the clear choice we made for Europe back then, and we are proud to have continued along this path, regardless of which government or coalition was in power.
Today, our younger generation cannot even imagine not being an integral part of Europe. They have grown accustomed to economic growth, security, the rule of law, and democracy, and they consider these achievements as something natural. The people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania do not want to go back; they never again want to live in the shadow of an autocratic and aggressive Russia.
However, it must be emphasized that this development was and is by no means inevitable.
Firstly, radical and often painful reforms were required to achieve it. Corrupt officials—whether they were bureaucrats, judges, prosecutors, or politicians—had to be removed from their posts. Oligarchs who sought to control the state had to be confronted. Laws had to be brought up to European Union standards.
At the same time, new officials, judges, and prosecutors had to be vetted before they could take office. The state could not tolerate old corrupt networks in the apparatus. The entire education system needed modernization. Initially, the economic situation—especially for retirees—was dire until the reforms began to take effect.
However, the collective will of society—across party lines—helped to overcome these challenges and push through the difficult reforms. The candidate status for EU membership for Latvia lasted six years, from 1998 to 2004. Only then were we ready to join the European Union and begin our economic rise in earnest. This also brought political stability and a final decoupling from Russia.
Secondly, we see that our form of government—democracy and the rule of law—and our Western way of thinking, our orientation toward Europe, do not sit well with Russia. The imperialistic and aggressive Russia attempts through various open and covert means to influence and manipulate public opinion in all Western democracies, particularly through social media.
It exploits the democratic freedoms that we guarantee. Yet, because of our historical experience, we in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania can recognize such manipulative efforts more quickly than some older democracies in the West.
Latvia was the first European country to shut down Russian propaganda media and internet platforms. Many other European nations followed suit. The European Court of Justice upheld these countermeasures. Democracy guarantees freedom of speech, but not massive anti-democratic foreign propaganda.
Democracy must not be defenseless and helpless. It should not tolerate activities that aim to abolish democracy or national sovereignty. This notion of a "militant democracy" arose after World War II in response to the fact that in 1933, the Nazis in Germany won elections by using democratic freedoms and subsequently abolished democracy to establish a bloody dictatorship.
This means that a stable democracy must be able to recognize real threats and act accordingly. Of course, proportionality must always be observed.
The concept of "militant democracy" has also been affirmed by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. It was discussed at the Congress of European Constitutional Courts, which was held for the first time this May in Chișinău, demonstrating Moldova’s belonging to the European legal framework.
Moldova does not have to start from scratch. Since gaining independence and especially in recent four years, Moldova has made great progress in solidifying its statehood and democracy. This was the foundation for Moldova receiving candidate status for EU membership last year. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania played a significant role in convincing other member states of Moldova’s commitment and ability to continue along this path.
We would sincerely welcome Moldova as a member of the European Union in the near future. For Latvia, the candidacy phase took six years—albeit from a somewhat better starting position. This is not an immediate process, but neither is it an excessively long one. It was a period of patient, tireless, and targeted reforms.
We in Europe hope that the people of Moldova will continue on this path of reform and national development—moving away from their colonial Soviet past and toward Europe. Together we will be stronger.
Egils Levits,
President of the Republic of Latvia 2019-2023. Former judge at European Court of Justice (2004-2019) and European Court of Human Rights (1995-2004)