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Briefness first and foremost – November 8, 2018 IPN digest


https://www.ipn.md/index.php/en/briefness-first-and-foremost-november-8-2018-ipn-digest-7978_1045207.html

Politologist Igor Volnitski already knows that no one will risk having negotiations with the Democrats after the February 2019 elections because the PDM does not have an alliance with someone for a long period. It devours each ally and everyone understands this. Therefore, early parliamentary elections are possible.

His colleague Ernest Vardanean said actions to invalidate the elections and blackmailing could be witnessed after the elections and the creation of a coalition of the right under the pressure of the Western partners is not possible because these are disappointed themselves in the PDM. “There is a high probability that early parliamentary elections will be held and the situation at those elections could be different”.

Following the recent visit paid by President Igor Dodon to Moocow, the director of IPN Valeriu Vasilică wrote a feature article entitled “Better stage of Moldovan-Russian relations: myth, reality or déjà vu?”.

“Even if Moldova accounts for 0.02% of Russia’s foreign trade, according to data of 2014, the author notes that the President of Russia Vladimir Putin considers “the Republic of Moldova one of the priority partners in the CIS area”. There are several internal and external reasons for such a rather visible shift in the Moldovan-Russian relations that had been cold for many years already. But there are also doubts about the sincerity of the intention of the “Eastern strategic partner” , wrote Valeriu Vasilică.

The distrust in the sincerity of the Russian policy in relation to Moldova comes also from the general experience showing that Russia is not used to give and offer too much to the former Soviet republics, but rather likes to take or to force, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova being pertinent examples. For Moldova, the main indicator in this regard is the invariably tough and unfriendly position in the management of the Transnistrian conflict, including with provocative military exercises held in concert with the armed forces of the separatist regime, which is one of the “litmus papers” that should be taken into account when we want to better understand Russia’s political sincerity to pass to a better phase of the Moldovan-Russian relations.

The same unfavorable winds brought the definitive court decision to deprive President Traian Băsescu of Moldovan nationality. The Supreme Court of Justice on November 7 rejected the appeal filed by Andrei Bivol, the lawyer for former President of Romania Traian Băsescu. Earlier, Traian Băsescu, who is the president of honor of the National Unity Party of Moldova, said the withdrawal of Moldovan nationality by President Igor Dodon does not discourage him and does not make him abandon the idea of Moldova’s union with Romania, which is the only chance for ensuring the security and prosperity of the Moldovan citizens.

But the epopee could go on. Andrei Bivol, lawyer for the ex-President of Romania Traian Băsescu, said it is unacceptable to say that Traian Băsescu was stripped of the Moldovan nationality for legal reasons. According to him, this was done for exclusively political reasons. The lawyer noted that if Traian Băsescu decides, they will go to the European Court of Human Rights  with this case.

Barking up the wrong tree! After the invalidation of the early mayoral elections, the parliamentary commission suggested ... eliminating the silence day, but this bears no relation to the essence of the problem. In his connection, editorialist Nicolae Negru, in the program “Red button” on Moldova 1 channel, said the justice system is the one that should be changed as the courts of law invalidated the mayoral elections in Chisinau. “The court interpreted a legal provisions in a hazardous, probably incompetent way. The judge will find another reason or method for invalidating the elections if he is allowed to. So, justice should be changed,” he stated.

His positon is supported by Valeriu Pașa who, in the talk show “Expertise hour” on Jurnal TV channel, said the initiative to exclude the silence day in elections is manipulative. The examination of the electoral legislation was done artificially and the provisions were amended to show to the development partners that the situation witnessed at the Chisinau mayoral elections will not repeat.

Executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives Vlad Kulminski said the political interest was for Mister Năstase not to become mayor of Chisinau as this is dangerous for the current government.

Nevertheless, the next reform pace was already announced. Prime Minister Pavel Filip suggested examining the possibility of installing video cameras in polling places so as to ensure a transparent electoral process and to eliminate any concern.

Was this what U.S. Ambassador in Chisinau Dereck J. Hogan meant when he underlined the importance of free and fair elections in a meeting with Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu? The diplomat reiterated his commitment to help Moldova implement reforms and advance on the Euro-Atlantic path.

After social videos with Moldovan intellectuals sweeping streets in Italy were disseminated,
Moldova and Italy ultimately decided to mutually recognize the documents issued by the higher education establishments of the two countries. The Cabinet of Moldova approved the signing of an agreement that envisions the recognition and equaling of the master’s and bachelor’s diplomas.

Details on IPN!