Ruling party and Opposition clash over expulsion of Romanian diplomats

The MPs from the majority faction and those from Opposition entered today in controversy over the expulsion of the two Romanian diplomats. Communist MP Victor Stepaniuc said the measure came in response to the statements made by the Romanian Ambassador Filip Teodorescu two months ago, which, as Stepaniuc put it, suggested that Romania doesn’t recognize Moldova’s statehood. Another reason for the expulsion, he added, was that the respective diplomats were involved in activities against the sovereignty and independence of Moldova. Stepaniuc claimed that Romania supports a number of Moldova-based publications that promote certain political concepts, which is inadmissible. The Communist MP admitted there are some other foreign governments that do this thing, but Romania’s example is the most obvious. The relationship with the neighbouring country has become tense because of Romania, Victor Stepaniuc stated. Serafim Urecheanu, the leader of the Moldova Noastra Alliance Party, termed the expulsion of the two diplomats as an open defiance of the European Union by Vladimir Voronin, adding that, though very damaging and counterproductive, these actions will be handled by the official Bucharest and Brussels with good judgment, without making the Moldovan population suffer. MP Vitalia Pavlicenco, leader of the National Liberal Party, stated that the decision made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a continuation of the anti-Romanian policies perpetrated at the order of the Kremlin in order to keep Moldova under Russia’s thumb. Voronin also seeks to get rid of the coalition formed with the Christian-Democratic People’s Party, because he thinks that it has scared away some of the pro-Communist voters, Vitalia Pavlicenco said. If things continue like this in 2008, the PNL leader maintained, Moldova will see itself making a big step backward in its EU aspiration. A group of MPs suggested inviting the head of the Moldovan diplomacy, Andrei Stratan, to give explanations and information about the case, but the majority faction rejected the proposal. On December 12, the Romanian Ambassador to Moldova Filip Teodorescu was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova and familiarised with a Verbal Note by which two diplomas of the diplomatic mission were declared unwelcome in Moldova and asked to leave Moldova within 24 hours. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania describes the act as inimical, unjustified and incompatible with Romania’s permanent constructive and cooperative attitude towards Moldova, a communique from the Romanian MFA said.