The state is not a value in itself. It has value to the extent to which it is able to guarantee the realization of its citizens’ interests. Only from this angle, the state has the capacity to resist and is appreciated by the people. During 30 years of Independence, the Republic of Moldova didn’t manage to resist economic or other kinds of shocks, but all the problems are interconnected between them, political analyst Anatol Țăranu stated in the public debate “Resistance to shock in Eastern Partnership – EU approach vs. NATO variant” that was staged by IPN News Agency.
As regards Moldova’s resistance to different shocks and challenges, Anatol Țăranu, who is also a historian, said this is an area where Moldova is attacked from all directions, the state being vulnerable in almost all regards.
He gave as example the resistance to economic shocks. According to him, the Republic of Moldova has existed for almost 30 years. In the period, it was unable to recover the losses sustained during the 1990s, when the economic shocks caused the Moldovan economy to decline to an absolutely deplorable level.
“We haven’t yet reached the economic development level of the Soviet period, even if that period is vehemently criticized. And this is done justifiably as it was a period during which the Republic of Moldova, as the whole Soviet Union, applied an absolutely inefficient economic model. The new economic organization rules in this concrete area of the Republic of Moldova haven’t yet shown their full effects. We continue to lag behind compared with the Soviet period,” stated the historian.
He also said that in such conditions, a question appears – why didn’t the Republic of Moldova resist these economic shocks? There are no categorical and firm answers to these questions, in all respects. But it is absolutely evident that Moldovan society wasn’t able to apply the market economy rules in the absence of the rule of law.
“We are entering an area where all the problems become interconnected. Practically, when we speak about shocks in the economy, we will have to also refer to the shocks related to democracy, state organization. Another question appears as a result – why wasn’t the Moldovan state during 30 years able to establish an efficient formula that could guarantee the people’s wellbeing both from economic viewpoint and from social viewpoint. The state is not a value in itself. It has value to the extent to which it is able to guarantee the realization of its citizens’ interests,” stated Anatol Țăranu.
The debate “Resistance to shock in Eastern Partnership – EU approach vs. NATO variant” was the 148th installment of the debates project “Developing political culture through public debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
