Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania, in a speech at the Pierre Werner Institute in Luxembourg on Tuesday advocated supporting Moldova in its European integration process. She also referred to the critical and precarious situation in Moldova, which is affected by Russia’s destabilization techniques, IPN reports.
“My duty today is to draw your attention to the east of our continent and ask you to reflect on the potential dangers of escalation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In addition to Ukraine, I would like to mention another country in favor of which Europe must also take a stand for the safety of the continent to be complete: the Republic of Moldova,” noted the Custodian of the Romanian Crown.
According to her, Moldova was one of the first territories of the former Soviet Union to know Moscow’s destabilization techniques, which everyone knows today. The “Moldovan Republic of Transdniestria”, better known today as Transnistria – was established as early as 1991, just before the official dissolution of the Soviet Union. No government in the world – not even Russia’s – recognizes this so-called republic. However, for more than three decades, Russian troops have been present there in one form or another.
“The Republic of Moldova has been subjected to these pressures and not only. It survived, but remained relatively poor and very vulnerable. And just as it elected a pro-Western leader and a government determined to root out corruption and strengthen democratic institutions, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed the Republic of Moldova into an extremely dangerous situation. The link between the war in Ukraine and Moldova’s situation is obvious to everyone and continues to exist,” said Her Majesty Margareta.
The Princess noted that the Moldovan authorities constantly warn that Russia is determined to destabilize the Government of the Republic of Moldova. The unrest in Moldova would create a real danger behind the main Ukrainian lines, which continue to resist the Russian invasion.
“It’s a blessing to know that the way for negotiations for the Republic of Moldova’s accession to the European Union has been opened. This turns the wheel of history, bringing this country back on the European path. And, obviously, it is a good thing that President Maia Sandu is welcomed with open arms in most of the European capitals. However, I feel compelled to add that we must be aware of the urgency of the situation when it comes to our support for the Republic of Moldova. The current security crisis, of exceptional gravity in Europe, has brought our nations closer together, both within the European Union and within NATO,” said Her Majesty.
“As Ukraine’s tragic example fully demonstrates, not seizing the opportunity of European integration would mean a much more costly and desperate integration effort thereafter. When the war in Ukraine ends, Ukraine will need security guarantees and substantial funds for economic reconstruction, which will be ineffective if the Republic of Moldova is not included in the equation. Moreover, our eastern borders will not be peaceful unless these two countries are allowed to live in peace. And, as we have all learned from our own experience, these nations will only find peace if they are integrated into our family. It’s very simple,” said the Custodian of the Romanian Crown.
