The Vilnius Summit is indisputably a success for Moldova, which initialed the Association Agreement with the EU there. It is especially a success of the foreign policy and an example of internal mobilization – at the level of the political class and institutions – which shows that when there is political will, things can move on at a rather accelerated pace, considers expert of the Foreign Policy Association Lina Grau.
“We can say that Moldova entered a new phase of its relations with the EU. Following the failure of Ukraine, which gave up signing the Association Agreement with the EU before the summit, Moldova has clear chances to become the main beneficiary of the Eastern Partnership program, obtaining step by step, in several years, the accession prospect. The first step in this direction was taken by initialing the Association Agreement with the EU. This does not yet mean that the rest of the road will be easy and without difficulties,” the expert stated for IPN.
Lina Grau said there are serious risks if not of diverting from the course than at least of slowing down the European developments in Chisinau. After winning a ‘resounding victory’ in Ukraine, Moscow will try to apply the ‘methodology’ in Moldova too. It will use such sensitive points as the debt gas of Tiraspol, the embargoes on exports, the deportation of Moldovan workers and ‘the prefer child’ – the separatism in the Transnistrian region and the Gagauz autonomous unit.
In parallel, and in close connection with the geopolitical interests of Russia, the Communist opposition will try to regain power in Moldova, in the parliamentary elections that will take place in exactly a year. It will lay emphasis on the protest vote of the people disappointed with the democratic political class that made more mistakes than acceptable, provoked tensions in society over personal rows and preferred not to speak with the people about the European integration.
Moldova was one of the central subjects of the official discussions and especially of the informal ones at the Vilnius Summit. Alongside Georgia, Moldova was quoted in a positive context in the discourses of all the European officials, especially in contrast to the Ukrainian leaders, who came to Vilnius to impose new conditions for signing the Association Agreement, including financial.
The Western leaders had clear encouragement messages for the political class and for the Moldova people, for whom the European future can become a reality. It is yet fundamental to understand that the initialing of the Association Agreement is only a first step, and not the hardest one, on the European path. Other internal risks faced by Moldova are related to the verticality of the political class in implementing reforms, combating corruption, guaranteeing fair justice, and ensuring decent living conditions.
Lina Grau said the political class must show cohesion and create a common front to cope with these challenges. The period of preparation for the initialing showed that this is possible. It is in the power of society to prevent the political class from discrediting the European future.
