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From defeat to defeat up to victory... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin


https://www.ipn.md/index.php/en/from-defeat-to-defeat-up-to-victory-op-ed-by-7978_1077728.html

“The appropriate response of Maia Sandu’s supporters to Igor Dodon’s challenges could be reduced to the famous call of the latter to others  – stay calm, drink tea and don’t bother! As everyone already understood why he lost the elections? Because! ”

Azimuthal defeat of imperialist front

The incumbent President of the Republic of Moldova Igor Dodon lost the presidential electoral competition to the opposition leader Maia Sandu. This defeat saddened and distressed the supporters of Igor Dodon, but does not seem to have thrilled the supporters of Maia Sandu. The first bemoaned the defeat not only of Igor Dodon, but of the whole Russian imperialist movement, which enrolled the patriots - statehood-supporters into a powerful political-ideological coalition, including those from the Republic of Moldova. The movement during the last few months suffered a bitter defeat on four azimuthal directions – in Belarus, Central Asia, South Caucasus and, recently, in the Republic of Moldova.

In Belarus, Lukashenko’s regime is waging a real civil war against the own citizens who have been protesting nonstop after the falsification of the August 9 presidential elections. There were reported more than ten deaths among protesters, but the intensity of the revolt does not diminish. In such conditions, Lukashenko’s regime draws support from the authoritarian regimes that recognized his victory in elections, including the Moldovan authorities. In Kirgizstan, the chaos established after the parliamentary elections of October 4 will most probably be annihilated by China by its power and authority. In South Caucasus, during September 27 – November 10, Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey, successfully solved the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh that had been maintained frozen by Russia for over 25 years. This way, Turkey became a key player in the political-military processes in Caucasus, limiting dramatically the maneuvering space of Russia. Ultimately, on November 15, Igor Dodon, who founded the branch of the Russian imperialist movement in the Republic of Moldova, was beaten in the presidential elections. The event was commented on by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who noted that the Kremlin’s favorite is a weak man who was beaten by a strong woman. Zhirinovsky’s abomination can be understood as he dreamt that Russian soldiers would wash their boots in the Indian Ocean and could not imagine that a whole imperialist movement and its representative in the Republic of Moldova would be beaten by a woman.

Moldovan justice – last redoubt

The beaten candidate Igor Dodon recognized the preliminary victory of Maia Sandu, but didn’t give up fighting. He promised he will challenge the election results in court. As the candidate of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM), Ion Ceban, did the same in June 2018 after losing the mayoral elections in Chisinau and obtained the annulment of the victory of his opponent Andrei Năstase, Igor Dodon could also have success. The real chances in this regard cannot be underestimated as during his four-year term in office alone, he managed to name 191 judges to posts (see page 40), which is approximately 40% of the total number of judges. Moreover, the main heroine of the annulment of the results of the mayoral elections in the municipality of Chisinau – judge Rodica Berdilo – was promoted to a higher rank. That’s why we should not be surprised if her experience is sought again. The chances of Igor Dodon’s eventual success are even higher if we take into account the fact that the chair of the hearing at the Appeals Court Vladislav Clima, who upheld the decision to invalidate the mayoral elections of 2018, advanced surprisingly, becoming recently the president of the Appeals Court.

Surely, it’s a great pity that the decision to validate the presidential elections is to be taken by the Constitutional Court (CC). This diminishes the intensity of Igor Dodon’s intrigue. Anyway, the CC will be unable to ignore the court decisions on the challenges filed by the one who lost the elections and by his electoral staff. That’s why the defeated candidate will have to show insistence and perseverance and to provide a lot of popcorn for the voters.  

Conclusions

If the situation of the representatives of the Russian imperialist movement is clear – these have a plan to challenge the election results in court – the winner of the elections Maia Sandu and her supporters seem to be concerned about the victory rather than glad given that the inheritance left by Igor Dodon is a very heavy burden.

A very sad conclusion after the presidential elections is that Moldovan society, as a result of the confrontation between the two candidates, remained profoundly divided and split. For Igor Dodon’s supporters, Maia Sandu’s victory has a symbolical, almost apocalyptical meaning. For them, it is unconceivable that a female candidate for President can beat a man who is supported by the Orthodox Church and personally by Patriarch Kirill! For them, in the current apocalyptical situation, the only consolation can be found in the famous quote of Chairman Mao Zedong – from defeat to defeat we go firmly up to the final victory! Moldovan justice can be very useful to them in this process.

The appropriate response of Maia Sandu’s supporters to Igor Dodon’s challenges could be reduced to the famous call of the latter to others  – stay calm, drink tea and don’t bother! As everyone already understood why he lost the elections? Because!