“The most important thing is that the government manages to ensure an expectation horizon – entry into the EU in the medium term, acceptable to the absolute majority of the citizens. The opposition, on the contrary, after the unmotivated aggression of Russia against Ukraine, after the disasters, scandals, conflicts and rebellions in the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), can no longer offer any prospects, not to mention the accession to this failed community…”
---
Perceptions and expectations of citizens
Opinion polls show that the citizens are disappointed and dissatisfied with the quality of governance. Citizens’ concerns are caused mostly (see page 15) by: increase in prices – 28%; low level of salaries and pensions – 17%; war in Ukraine – 15%; economic situation in the country – 9%; inefficiency of government– 7% etc. In such circumstances, the parliamentary opposition, represented by the Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) and Șor Party, decided to determine the level of citizens’ dissatisfaction, organizing a series of protests against the government owing to the rising inflation and its effects. The protests were resonant, but their size didn’t impress. The same opinion polls show (see page 39) that 1/3 of the citizens support the protests against the current government, but only 14% would take part in them. In contrast, approximately half of the respondents do not support the protests and do not intend to take part in them. This way, it is not surprising that the protests initiated by the opposition do not enjoy the massive support of the citizens.
The analysis of poll data makes us believe that the justifications of the government are for now more convincing than the accusations made by the opposition against it. There are a number of explanations for such a state of affairs. Firstly, polls show that citizens’ information preferences have followed a reverse path. It is hard to believe, but the TV channels affiliated to the pro-Russian opposition and the pro-oligarchic ones (see page 7) purportedly lost the lead in the competition for audience to the independent channels and the channels financed with state budget funds. Secondly, the government seems to have persuaded most of the citizens that the energy crisis and the rising inflation are caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. When they were asked to name three things that concern them the most, the respondents noted: the war in the neighborhood – 59%; prices – 57%; children’s future – 35% etc. (see page 4). As regards Russia’s war against Ukraine, 41% of those surveyed consider it is an unjustified invasion and only 15% consider it goes to the declared goal of the invasion – liberation of Ukraine from Nazism (see page 23). It should be noted here that 41% of the respondents consider the regime of Putin is a fascist one (see page 35). More than 46% of those polled believe the Russian forces intentionally attacked military targets and also civilian facilities and only 10% consider that the Russian forces struck only military targets and civilians weren’t hurt (see page 26).
There is no doubt that the difficult socioeconomic situation in the Republic of Moldova and the war in Ukraine shaped the future expectations of the citizens. In this regard, if they have to choose between entry into the European Union (EU) and entry into the Eurasian Economic Union, the score would be of 55% to 22% (see page 31). In the context of the war in Ukraine, the government of the Republic of Moldova hurried to submit an application for EU membership. Consequently, 51% of the respondents consider this step is correct, while 37% believe this is a mistake (see page 34). A part of those 35% of the respondents who are for Moldova’s union with Romania (see page 30) could also be dissatisfied with the submission of the application to join the EU. The union would bring Moldova’s territory closer to the EU and under NATO’s umbrella without having to perform difficult and long-term procedures.
Cut from the same cloth?
Polls show the current government of the Republic of Moldova is perceived as relatively weak and impotent. But it happens so because the parliamentary opposition, together with the extraparliamentary one, is even weaker and is discredited and confused. As they say, two peas in a pod. The opposition parliamentary parties do not have a doctrine or a future view for the Republic of Moldova. Undoubtedly, the Socialists of the Republic of Moldova, aiming to imitate Vladimir Putin’s party, renounced the own ideology – democratic socialism, in favor of conservatism. A year later, they renounced conservatism in favor of the status of national social-patriotic party. Thank God PSRM hasn’t yet asserted itself as a national-Socialist party, this being even ultra-patriotic. PSRM’s Communist colleagues from the BCS coalition insist that they share the Marxist-Leninist ideology that by definition should be internationalist, not national-patriotic. That’s why the marriage between the Moldovan Socialists and Communists is absolutely abnormal. Moreover, the first blindly follow the example of Putin, copying even the ideological and geopolitical preferences of the Russian leader, who does not hide that he hates the Leninist internationalism and its effects.
Associating themselves with the Socialists for entering Parliament, the Communists ignore the attitude to the false Putinist symbols of their Communist comrades from Russia, who openly challenge the fact that the so-called ribbon of Saint George is the symbol of victory in the Great Patriotic War. We can admit that the gerontocratic administration of the Communists does not realize what’s going on in the region. But the Socialist elites that are relatively young could have behaved cautiously when associating themselves with the Putinist policy that started to be perceived as a fascist one by over 40% of the Moldovans. The informal leader of SRM, Igor Dodon, doesn’t find something better than to ostentatiously display his attachment to the symbols invented by the regime of Putin, pretending not to know that the so-called ribbon of Saint George, before being approved as a symbol of Putinism, served as a symbol of the Russian Nazi collaborationists from among Hitler’s army.
If we now put together the ostentatious affiliation of PSRM’s leaders to the Russian imperial movement and blind copying of the Putinist symbols, doesn’t the recent affiliation by PSRM to the national social-patriotic ideology seem logical? Yes, it seems and this is a reason for concern and for extending sociological investigations into the gradual infection of Moldovan society with national-socialism. The first symptoms are displayed by the attitude of a yet narrow segment of Moldova society to the war in Ukraine.
Conclusions
The current realities in the Republic of Moldova perceived by the citizens show that we have a relatively weak government that for now has a correct stance on the dramatic events happening in the region. The most important thing is that the government manages to ensure an expectation horizon – entry into the EU in the medium term, acceptable to the absolute majority of the citizens. The opposition, on the contrary, after the unmotivated aggression of Russia against Ukraine, after the disasters, scandals, conflicts and rebellions in the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), can no longer offer any prospects, not to mention the accession to this failed community. In this regard, the PSRM in its last political program admits that the globalist institutions – the NBM, the World Bank, the EBRD and others - are traditional partners of the Republic of Moldova, pleading only for cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union, the Eurasian Development Bank, the People’s Republic of China, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other international organizations. It made no mention of EEU. In fact, we should not be surprised by the curvatures of the political maneuvers.
Victor Pelin
See related articles:
- Common candidate, slightly independent... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Prospects of battle of Pobeda bloc. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Conduct of 2024 census. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Presidential amnesia syndrome. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Impact of setting of date of presidential election and constitutional referendum. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Communist-Socialist gorillas against Victory. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Ex-premier Vasile Tarlev’s fourth attempt to return to politics. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Day of victory over fascism against the background of its reanimation. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About constitutional referendum. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Manipulation by omission and shifting of emphasis. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Thoughts on 15th anniversary of April 7-8, 2009 events... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Referendum inflation. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Thoughts generated by Moscow terrorist attack. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Intrigue of Russia presidential election. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Guțul eclipsed Vlah? Op-ed by Victor Pelin
- Why does Irina Vlah’s platform risk not enjoying support? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What is at stake in presidential election. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of fifth column and reaction of society. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Consequences of Yalta Conference: liberators vs. occupiers. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Sample of plagiarism and manipulation by omission. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Who won the elections yet? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About author of transformation of utopia into antiutopia. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About state anti-Semitism... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About miracles and winter holidays... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Longest war of Soviet imperialism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Origin of culture of denouncements and informers. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Story of white bull is not most boring one... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Choice of Bessarabians... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Reanimation of propaganda reflexes. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About memorable dates and undelivered promises... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Loss and reassertion of identity... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- On brink of eternity... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Interpretation of polls by politicians. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Glorification of Soviet-Nazi victory. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Choice imposed by two symbolic events. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Many mobilized, few elected... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Threats and intimidation on Independence Day. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The impossibility of communism with a human face. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Second attempt to step into same river. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Gagauz crisis – developer of moral decadence. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Inauguration of governor of Dreamland... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Carthage must be destroyed! Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Ace of spades and resuscitation of success story. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Forcing doors open... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Special civil military operation. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- While waiting for Constitutional Court judgment... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral prelude... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Dreamland of political adventurists... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Habit cures habit? Op-Ed de Victor Pelin
- Ultima ratio. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Fair of Communist-Socialist generosity. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Without MIR, for peace between nations, against aggression... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Silence kept by wedding party guests and deception of Shor’s victim... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Echo of April 7 events… Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Justifying rhetoric for eventual Russian aggression. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Exaggerated capacities of Maia Sandu... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Igor Dodon’s premonitions and its effects. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Communists make call for terror? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- How long will we remain caught in the toils of falsehoods? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Subversive actions – Russia relapses? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Critics of Gavrilița Government... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Apostles of war. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Times of Natashas have come? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Traditional values... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Black swan, the last hope... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Regime of Putin declared terrorist. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Lost letters. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The European alternative of Mayor Ion Ceban. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- When hounds growls, puppies also bark... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Devastating potential of powerful Putinist ideas. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The crab, the frog and a pike... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Europeanization of Gagauzia. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Cooperation with NATO and complementation of 3C strategy. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About benefits of occupation... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Geopolitical alternative, stake of opposition. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Wormhole and end of Moldovan geopolitics... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Half-truths more dangerous than lies... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- 3D – Despair, Demagogy, Deja-vu – strategy. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Natalia beating round the bush in Big House. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- End of post-Soviet transition. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Misanthrope atavism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- May! Labor! Peace? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Spring fever and opium for people. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What purpose do opinion polls serve? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Hybrid warfare of government and opposition. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Invitation to aggression ... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Maia Sandu and PAS – beneficiaries of special operation... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Kaa and hypnotized monkeys. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Russian or Arab spring? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Russia builds a new world order... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Crocodile will not pull back... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The powder keg. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Multipolar world after 15 years of pretensions... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Like it or not, country will rebuild itself. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Socialists oscillating between three models. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What is permissible for Jupiter is not permissible for ... Op-Ed by VictorPelin
- Between hammer and anvil. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- 2022, year of geopolitical crises. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- “Congress of winners” or Parallels between Igor Dodon and Mahtama Gandhi. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Enigma shrouded in mystery... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Revolt of Ilan Șor’s company... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Pension system and politicians’ speculations. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- What is good and what is bad... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- How to fight hatred and foolishness? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Maia Sandu’s one year of presidency. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Gerontocracy in action. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- We do not surrender country to foreigners? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- First electoral test for new government. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Năstase, Filip, Dodon... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Cases of Stoianoglo and Gațcan. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Yellow and maroon bullshit. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Charm of electronic voting. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Moldova, Moldovans, Moldovan? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Lustration. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Waiting for good times... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Similar steps in foreign policy... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
-
- Stepping on rakes. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Power and opposition... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Vote of Transnistrians. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral confusions. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of disappearance of Moldova. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Lack of discernment. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Futuristic reflections. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral fibs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Voronin’s panegyric. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Speculative geopolitics. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Turns of political weathervanes. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Assimilators and pretenders to Plahotniuc’s inheritance. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Does Moldova have a future? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Communists’ amnesia. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Who divides society? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About electoral blocs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Joint effort of parties of the left... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About constitutional aberrations. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Usurpations of usurped power… Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of regional war... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Bafflement of Socialists. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Competition of Igor Dodon vs. Maia Sandu. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Enigma of April 7, 2009 events. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Zinaida Grechanyi complains to Council of Europe. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Vaccination and political games. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Why is Maia Sandu more dangerous than Vlad Plahotniuc? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Institutional memory of Moldova’s presidential administration. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Coalition of the brazen. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Steps towards Union... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Troublesome decree. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Success of failure... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Balance of accomplishments of Presidents elected by general vote... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Orthodox Church in danger... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- PSRM, QUO VADIS? Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Confrontation between Mentor and Tester. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Russia confirms high quality of Moldovan wine. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- “List of sins” of Maia Sandu. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Maia Sandu’s “taburetka”. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Delayed actions of Maia Sandu. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Socialists’ departures and decline. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Inevitability of snap elections. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Boomerang. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- In Moscow, after directives... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Unfavorable inheritance. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Danger of Igor Dodon’s opportunism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Preparations for snap elections. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Electoral performance of unionists. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Grimaces of neo-paganism. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Socialists’ dilemma. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- From defeat to defeat up to victory... Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- National consensus and division of society. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Imperialist movement vs. NGOs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Paganism vs. Christian values. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Renato Usatyi versus Igor Dodon. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Ana Guțu and watchdogs. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Splendor and misery... of propagandists. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- About lackeys and sons of a bitch. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Bifurcated candidates. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- The discrepancy between words and deeds. Op-Ed byVictor Pelin
- Coincidence? I don’t think so! Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Moldovan political fauna, Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- It looks uglier in reality than from afar, Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- “Russian people’s present”, Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Independence Day. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Commemoration of victims of totalitarian regimes. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Vaccination and chipping of Moldovans. Pamphlet by Victor Pelin
- Balanced foreign policy. Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Solution: Annulment of presidential elections! Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- Beam in Maia’s eye… Op-Ed by Victor Pelin
- A new attack with gases, Op-Ed
- Renato Usatyi – President Dodon’s Furgal, Op-Ed
- While waiting for... Patriarch Kirill, Op-Ed
- President Dodon’s change of orientation, Op-Ed
- Where is the money, Ștefănică? Op-Ed