In the case of Moldova and of the developing unionism, Russia does not have a pronounced position, political pundit Dionis Cenusa said in an analysis article for IPN Agency.
According to the politologist, first of all, unionism is used as a scarecrow for the pro-Russian forces to mobilize the voters for the parliamentary elections that could take place this December.
Secondly, following the intensification of unionism, President Igor Dodon and other philo-Russian politicians will obtain new arguments for raising again the issue of the country’s federalization.
Last but not least, by tolerating unionism Russia facilitates future animosities in Ukraine’s relationship with Romania, which already became tense following the adoption in 2017 of linguistic legislation that diminishes the share of studies in the mother tongues of ethnic minorities, including Romanians.
As long as the unionist movement firmly pleads for the union with Romania, the regions dominated by philo-Russian groups reserve the right to seek help from Russia if Moldova disappears as a state entity.
During the first two months of 2018, over 30 Moldovan communities signed statements on the symbolic union with Romania so as to this way celebrate the centennial of the union of the Romanian principalities.
Even if this gesture is symbolic for now, it mobilizes the pro-Russian political forces in Moldova, which invoke the necessity of a strategic dialogue with Russia in order to save Moldovan statehood, concluded Dionis Cenusa.
