Now that Moldova initialed the Association Agreement with the EU at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, the government must take a decision about the Transnistrian region. Expert Igor Botan, director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, in the public debate organized by IPN Agency, said that he is for freezing the Transnistrian issue. On the other hand, in the same debate the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party Vlad Filat said there are many contradictions as regards the Transnistrian region, but he considers that the dialogue must be continued. “We must convince the people that the benefits of the country’s European course equally refer to the population from both banks of the Nistru River. Judging by the discussions held until now, there is either no wish to understand the benefits of the association with the EU or somebody asks them from outside not to understand them,” said the politician.
A part of the participants in the public debate “Moldovan society and the political class after Vilnius: between cooperation and confrontation” said that the European integration process in Moldova after the initialing of the Association Agreement with the EU is irreversible. Igor Botan said he would use the notion of vigilance instead of irreversibility.
“We are in December and remember what happened one year ago. It was an event without political connotation, but it managed to thwart all the political plans (the hunting in the Domneasca Forest – e.n.). The people must be told that everything is under control, while the political class must be on alert. Moldova has very important for us contractual relations with the EU,” said the expert.
Igor Botan believes that emphasis must be put on strengthening the people’s confidence. “The alternative we have does not mean that the EU will wait for us eternally. We must go on stage by stage, step by step, until we score a victory. The legislation was modernized. The next step is to cut the tentacles and threads that go from clans to judges and prosecutors. It is something difficult, like general surgery. It depends on the political will,” said the ADEPT director.
The expert added that there are stages that must be covered after the initialing. “Moldova must send messages not only to the Europeans, but also to society. The benefits must be explained to the people. The promise to liberalize the visa regime should be kept. The agreement must be also ratified. The road is clear and we must be attentive and prudent and able to act swiftly,” said the expert,” said Igor Botan.
The public debate “Moldovan society and the political class after Vilnius: between cooperation and confrontation” is the 24th of the series “Development of political culture by public debates”. The IPN project is supported by the German foundation “Hanns Seidel”.
