Expert of the community “WatchDog” Valeriu Pașa said the message transmitted by the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Kozak, who paid an official visit to Chisinau on June 3, was very clear: “no coalition with the PDM”. According to him, it seems that Moscow is disposed to accept the return to normality in Moldova, IPN reports.
“It is at least unusual hearing a Deputy Prime Minister of Russia saying that democratic, free and fair elections should be held in an associate country of the European Union. Apparently, Moscow transmits a message that it is ready to accept the return to normality and new, but free and fair elections and who wins them will be the winner,” stated Valeriu Pașa, adding this message was firstly transmitted to the Bloc ACUM, secondly to the PSRM and thirdly to the Western partners of Moldova.
Journalist Alexandru Cozer said the leader of the PDM Vladimir Plahotniuc knew very well with what message Dmitry Kozak was coming to Chisinau. The Deputy Prime Minister of Russia appeared alongside President Igor Dodon, who initiated and intensely promoted the mixed electoral system. “Igor Dodon made effort to speak about apples and pears and less about political matters, but Dmitry Kozak told two very important things – that snap elections will be anyway held, no matter what political forces form the majority, and this runs counter to Igor Dodon’s assertions that the Socialists will form a coalition for four years only,” the journalist stated in a program on Jurnal TV channel.
The second fact emphasized by Alexandru Cozer is that Dmitry Kozak noted the elections should be held in accordance with the recommendations formulated by the European Union and the Venice Commission before the introduction of the mixed electoral system. He suggested that the proportional representation system should be restored and the snap elections should be held under this system.
MP of the Bloc ACUM Octavian Țîcu said they awaited the visits by the EU and U.S. officials as these had been planned. However, the invitation by President Igor Dodon of the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak to Moldova was a surprise. The goal was to balance the Western presence in Moldova and to intervene in the game of the post-electoral campaign so that each of the partners didn’t remain outside the political construct. The position of the three partners should be yet regarded from different angles. “On the one hand, the European Union is our main partner with which we have an Association Agreement that obliges us to do many things. The U.S. was already fully anchored in the developments in the Republic of Moldova. On the other hand, we had the visit by Kozak that was problematic not only because of the Kozak personage who was placed on the list of persons facing EU entry bans and sanctions, but also because he is the one who initiated a plan for federalizing the Republic of Moldova in 2003,” stated the MP.
On June 3, the political parties had in Chisinau meetings with Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, Director of the Office of Eastern European Affairs of the U.S. Department of State Bradley A. Freden and Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Kozak. After the discussions, the three officials said a stable Government is needed in Chisinau, but a temporary coalition is also welcome if a consensus for a long term cannot be reached.
