In the talk show “Direct access” broadcast by NTV Moldova channel on August 23, 2018, MP Vlad Batrîncea, who is the executive secretary of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), said the enshrining of the European course in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova is a manipulation and an electoral action: “You cannot make a mandatory constitutional norm of this. We, at the right time, will go to the Venice Commission and other institutions to struggle and prevent the introduction of this absolutely shameful provision in our Constitution”. This is a strange and completely inappropriate statement and thus can be itself considered pre-electoral manipulation.

First of all, the given idea does not have sufficient parliamentary support and this fact was confirmed recently by the Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu: “The parliamentary majority does not yet has votes to amend the Constitution and we should thus discuss. I hope a lot that we will manage to reach that compromise with the parliamentary pro-European opposition parties, the PLDM and PL, so that we amend the Constitution in this regard the next session”. Mister Batrâncea knows very well that the introduction of the clause concerning Moldova’s European integration in the Constitution depends on the parliamentary remains of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) and the Liberal Party (PL), which demand to amend Article 13 so that this provides that Romanian is the official language. The linguistic problem is could be the most serious challenge for the PSRM and for Mister Batrîncea personally, but he knows very well that at least until the parliamentary elections of February 24, 2019, there is no real danger threatening the Moldovan language as the total number of Liberal-Democratic and Liberal MPs is smaller than of the Communist turncoats who joined the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) earlier or more recently, while the ex-Communists are inveterate Moldovenists.

Secondly, why does MP Batrîncea think that the enshrining of the European integration in the Constitution is absolutely shameful? Does he have serious reasons to believe so! The truth is the leaders of the PSRM, the informal one and the formal one – Igor Dodon and Zinaida Grecheanyi – once swore officially to defend the national interests of the Republic of Moldova, saying that: “The incontestable desideratum of the largest part of our citizens, the country’s integration into the European Union, represents an IRREVERSIBLE and NATURAL PRIORITY of the domestic and foreign policy of the Government of the Republic of Moldova. The major objective of the Government is to continue to transpose the principles of the Community acquis...” This happened on June 6, 2009, when Zinaida Grecheanyi and Igor Dodon were invested as Prime Minister and, respectively, First Deputy Prime Minister. So, namely they, the chief and his deputy, drafted the text of the government program for which they obtained the vote of the parliamentary majority and the support of the President. It should be noted that the oath wasn’t a blunder or something taken under the pressure of the machinery of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM). No! It was a consciously assumed act that was conformed when the current leaders of the PSRM saved the so-called Alliance for European Integration when they voted for Nicolae Timofti to hold office of President on March 16, 2012.

So, where the shame of Vlad Batrîncea derive from? The answer is – from the changing of positions by the two protagonists of the PSRM for exploiting the political spectrum and becoming deep-rooted on the Eurasian segment and for replacing the Communists. In this regard, amendments were made to the political program, like these ones: “The entry into the Customs Union, participation in building and developing the Eurasian Union – these are the chances that can ensure Moldova’s recovery...  The PSRM will take energetic steps to have the Association Agreement with the EU scrapped and to hold a referendum on the country’s course. OUR ROAD GOES ALONGSIDE RUSSIA, BELARUS AND KAZAKHSTAN!” Evidently, after such a twist, the inclusion of a clause about the European integration in the country’s Constitution would be a big SHAME. Not for the citizens who are mainly pro-Europe, according to the current Socialist leaders, but for the PSRM.

Thirdly, what won’t you do to cling to the Eurasian course so as to replace the pro-European course with this? Anything! You can even threaten with going to the Venice Commission. Mister Vlad Batrîncea is not naive if he was elected executive secretary of the PSRM, which has the largest number of voters. From the experience of the introduction of the mixed-member electoral system, he knows that the harmonious, common approach of the PSRM and PDM was disapproved of by the Venice Commission, but this had to mention Moldova’s sovereign right to do whatever its administration decides. So, the PSRM can go again to the Venice Commission, this time to seek its opinion on a matter that does not have at least chances of being addressed in the current political conjuncture, knowing that this will reiterate the sovereign right of the parliamentary majority to do what it wants, if it can. So, the approach does not matter, but what matters is the fact that the PSRM is making waves as if it vehemently defends the possibility of reorienting the country to the Eurasian Union.

Fourthly, the PSRM risks going to ruin if it does not change its messages and attitudes. After the fiscal amnesty that was boycotted by the parliamentary group of the PSRM was supported by President Igor Dodon, one more profound conflict appeared. Indeed, why should Mister Batrîncea oppose the enshrining of the European course in the country’s Constitution? Doesn’t he read the official documents  issued by his superiors? No one will believe that he didn’t read Igor Dodon’s speech that was presented at the Crans Montana Forum on June 28, 2018: “Our goal is to modernize and develop the Republic of Moldova. Reforms are to be implemented exclusively for the people’s benefit. We are to work out a strategic reform plan so that when the Republic of Moldova’s entry into the European Union is debated, the country is prepared from all viewpoints”. It is highly improbable that Mister Batrîncea does not know about the oscillations of the PSRM leaders between the European Union and the Eurasian Union. We can admit that he is shocked by the amplitude of these oscillations that are destructive for the party.

However, understanding the reason for Mister Batrîncea’s shame, we can hope that he will have the chance to clarify things in the nearest future so as to calm down. We refer to the autumn protests announced by President Igor Dodon for revealing the real face of the Moldovan politicians. In those protests, if they are mounted, Mister Batrîncea could learn who is who…?  Furthermore, he could find out who is the most skillful manipulator in the Republic of Moldova.

IPN experts