In connection with the taking over by Estonia of the presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2017, the Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser is paying visits to all the Eastern Partnership member states, announcing the neighborhood policy as a priority. The Estonian official visited Chisinau on February 27.
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– Why did you plan this visit now? Is it designed to improve cooperation or to change something in the way things go?
– The relations between Estonia and Moldova have been very good during the last 25 years. Estonia has always tried to help Moldova through its expertise and experience. Moldova was identified as a property country in the cooperation for bilateral development. Furthermore, Estonia will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from the second half of 2017, while the Eastern Partnership countries and the neighborhood policy are a priority for Estonia. I set the goal of visiting the EaP countries before taking over the presidency of the Council so as to see at what stage the reforms and the agenda of the Eastern Partnership are.
– In the press briefing held in Chisinau, you said that Estonia offers Moldova €1 million a year for development projects. What areas are financed?
– There are several projects in the health sector and justice sector. The cases at courts of law were digitized. Moldova was assisted in developing a platform that monitors the way in which reforms are implemented. Estonia also offers scholarships to Moldovan students.
– You are the first EU official who visits Moldova after the inauguration of Igor Dodon, who criticizes the Association Agreement, as President. How are the debates on the development model – European or Eurasian - between the presidential administration, Government and Parliament that are held in Chisinau regarded at foreign level?
– There is a variety of views in Moldova about the way in which the European integration should take place and what level of integration into the European bodies the state should have. It would be practical for a common message to exist on the part of all the representatives of the power. As regards Estonia, we respect the decisions taken by the people. If Moldova wants to integrate into the EU, Estonia is there to help it. We discussed this subject with the Premier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the President of the Republic of Moldova and it is very clear that there are different opinions about the way in which Moldova should make progress in doing reforms and achieving its European aspirations.
Moldova already benefits from the Association Agreement, the liberalization of the visa regime, particular reforms. The reforms are good for the Moldovan citizens and the country’s economy. Reforms should not be done because there are particular requirements imposed by the EU, but for the own benefit. The decisions in this regard remain the responsibility of Moldovan voters and the leaders they choose.
– The Baltic States, including Estonia, identified solutions to protect themselves from external pressure. What can a state like the Republic of Moldova, which is not a NATO or EU member, do in this regard?
– A part of the strategic communication implies explaining to the people what reforms are necessary for and how these contribute to the development of the state. Moldova should decide what geostrategic course is better for the county’s development and then work to achieve the respective objectives. This is never an easy way. In Estonia, before the country became a member of the EU, a consistent reform agenda was implemented, but there was national consensus and there was the conviction that the implementation of reforms is beneficial to the country, to economic growth and to the future generations. The wish to become an EU member was a national ambition that was above ordinary political struggles. I think that if you manage to transform the European integration into something that is above the political landscape, you can get rid of the unwanted external influences.
– Propaganda in the mass media, especially on the part of Russia, is one of the challenges faced by Moldova. How does Estonia fight propaganda?
– We fought the Russian propaganda at multiple levels, but I think the situation was different. I don’t think someone ever took into account the option that the Russian Federation is more attractive than the European Union. We saw the domination of propaganda and its psychological effects long before the fight against false news and the post-truth concept became fashionable. It is an asymmetric struggle, but you cannot fight lies with your own lies. I think we must make effort to keep the moral values and the truth is the only weapon against lie. In the struggle for informational domination, you must know the opponent. It is not enough to defend yourself and to correct all the disseminated lies. You must identify the opponents and find out their hidden agenda. You must show to the people that you have high moral standards and more powerful arguments.
– The other two Baltic countries, Lithuania and Latvia, have embassies in Moldova. Does Estonia plan to open an embassy in Chisinau?
– We would like to have embassies in all the states and, evidently, in all the European states, but we are a small nation, with 1.3 million people, and there are financial limits and limits of human resources. But we must be creative. Currently, there is an Estonian diplomat in Moldova who works through the agency of the British Embassy and I think this is a solution that helps us use the resources as efficiently as possible.
We are present in Moldova through the agency of the Estonians who work for international organizations, offering consultancy. I think that this way we can maintain our presence, using the resources we have for the aforementioned development projects. Now we do not have plans to move to the next diplomatic level, but I’m pleased that we can maintain our presence in the current form.
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Sven Mikser, 43, has served as Minister of Foreign Affaires of Estonia since November 2016. He was minister of defense in two previous governments, in 2002-2003 and in 2014-2015. He had been president of the Social Democratic Party of Estonia in 2010-2015. In 1999-2014, he had been a member of Estonia’s Parliament.
Dan Caranfil, IPN
