Moldova's external policy is imposed by President's entourage, Chisinau politicians and analysts believe

Moldova confronts two external policies: one promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and another promoted by President Vladimir Voronin's entourage, who are hostile to Romania. The statement was made on June 5 by parliamentarian Vitalia Pavlicenco, the leader of the National Liberal Party, at a sitting of the Chisinau Press Club tackling the relationships between Moldova and Romania, Info-Prim Neo reports. Between Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan and President Voronin's counselors there is steady tensions and, perhaps, the separation line crosses namely the issue of the relationships with Romania, Vitalia Pavlicenco opined. The MP believes the reluctance of the presidential advisors are caused by the fear to get closer to Romania, to be within a common space, even though that space meant the European Union. “Moldova is an isolated country, as it missed the Baltic train going to the EU and , it missed the Romanian and Bulgarian train, and now it is at risk to miss the Ukrainian-Georgian train, too,” the MP underlined. Chisinau should use this status of the EU's neighbor and should be the initiator of different proposals to benefit of this hypostasis in the perspective of being helped to join the EU, Vitalia Pavlicenco said. Also the analyst of the Foreign Policy Association from Chisinau, Victor Chirila, said the Foreign Ministry carries out the instructions of President Vladimir Voronin. Being a former employee of the Ministry, Victor Chirila said he knew that, as a rule, the experienced diplomats were not listened to, as the decisions are being made within a close circle, “in an atmosphere of authoritarianism”. The lack of coherence in Moldova's external policy is generated first by the Foreign Ministry, which does not take stances and does not support its own positions, said the analysts. The politicians and the analysts pleaded for Chisinau to sign the Convention on minor frontier traffic with Romania. According to Victor Chirila, conditioning the signing of this document with the signing of the State Border Treaty, as the Chisinau do, is totally wrong approach, from the legal viewpoint. The Moldovan-Romanian border was established back in 1961 by the USSR and Romania. That Treaty is valid, according to international law, during an unlimited period, Chirila specified. Signing the Convention is backed by mayors of localities near the border present at the Press Club. The mayor of Sculeni village, Ungheni district,Vasile Casian, reminded that, before Romania joined the EU, 50% of the Sculeni villagers traded over the border. The visa regime turned them into unemployed and many left for Russia to work illegally, he said.