“The only solution for us to survive as a sovereign and independent state is to stay away from this new geopolitical conflict, the outcome of which is uncertain. Moldova must remain neutral and develop mutually advantageous relations both with the East and the West”, President Igor Dodon told IPN in an interview on the eve of the 26th anniversary of Moldovan Independence.
He thinks that the biggest mistake would be for Moldova to choose sides in the new cold war, to join the West against Russia. In his opinion, only maintaining a balanced foreign policy, good bilateral relations with all our neighbors, with Russia, the EU and the US, can ensure peace in Moldova
The President says that the ordinary people, without being big political analysts, are very well aware of how tense the current situation in the world and in the region is. According to him, the great powers are starting a new cold war and are mobilizing their forces, as new confrontation hotspots are arising in East and South-East Asia, in Latin America, in Eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine.
“In this explosive geopolitical context, we’re hearing more and more often about a scenario in which foreign troops, possibly NATO, are to be deployed on the Nistru, in order to strengthen the Western presence in the region. I can’t rule out that this is a veiled attempt to unfreeze the conflict in Transnistria in order to provoke Russia and create a new zone of destabilization. Someone from across the ocean is moving pawns on the geopolitical chess tables and here, in Moldova, our whole society could suffer the consequences. The tragedy of 1992 could repeat itself and many people could die”, warned the President.
He added that the people are the sovereign in the state and they have the right to direct the country’s external and internal policies. “If we look at polls, we can see that most people want to maintain good relations with Russia, to stay neutral and are certainly against joining NATO. They see themselves as Moldovans, want the History of Moldova to be taught in schools, are in favor of maintaining Moldovan statehood, want asymmetrical economic relations with the EU and don’t want to pay for the stolen billion”, Dodon explained.
He also took aim at pro-Romanian groups. “Today, pro-unification activism is the main destabilizing force in Moldova. This anti-state ideology can cause social or ethnic conflicts and if it becomes officially promoted, it can lead to new separatist tendencies. But I promise you the pro-unification activists won’t achieve anything. All the frenzy about the 100th anniversary of the Unification in Romania in 2018 will pass, the current government will go away, but the Moldovan people and state will stay strong. I’ll do my best to ensure this”, promised the President.
