Moldova has always been of great geostrategic importance for Russia. The regime that was imposed in Socialist Moldavia led to the transformation of the economy into a monoculture that did not allow this state to become truly sovereign economically, followed by the suppression of cultural and linguistic identity, and also of the intellectual elite, said the German political scientist Anneli Ute Gabanyi during an IPN debate on Monday

“It is a miracle that, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, this state could first declare its sovereignty and then its independence”, she said.

The debate discussed the effects of the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, signed on 23 August 1939.

“A less known fact is that, before the last congress of the Romanian Communist Party in November 1989, Nicolae Ceaușescu intended to raise the issue of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact and its consequences in his speech”, said Anneli Ute Gabanyi.

She added that while the western leaders eventually recognized the great geopolitical importance of Moldova, the fact that the country has been given the prospect of EU membership would not have been possible without the war in Ukraine.

“The people of Moldova must be aware of this (…) If the West is interested in keeping Ukraine in at least a neutral perimeter, then the Republic of Moldova is crucial, as it presents a Western gateway to Ukraine”, said Anneli Ute Gabanyi, adding that the upcoming presidential election and the simultaneous referendum will be a decisive moment for Moldova.

This was the 41st installment of the Impact of History Series, run by IPN with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.