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Foreign Affairs on January 1–31, 2008

European integration

Visit of President Vladimir Voronin to Brussels

President Vladimir Voronin was on a formal visit to Brussels on January 14, 2008. The meeting with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was the main one from Voronin’s visit agenda. According to functionaries of the Commission, the meeting between Voronin and Barroso had a protocolar nature. As the European Commission president could not receive the Moldovan leader during the last visit to Brussels on December 5–6, 2007, the meeting of the two officials was postponed for early January 2008.

Prior to the visit to Brussels, President Voronin has told journalists that “Moldova will not extend the implementation deadline of [EUMAP] after February 2008, when the term is over”, and hinted that he will discuss in Brussels possibilities to negotiate a new contractual relationship between Moldova and the E.U.

But the conviction that Moldova will enjoy the opportunity to succeed to a contractual relation with the E.U. after February 2008, when the deadline for the implementation of the EUMAP is over, was exaggerated. Jose Manuel Barroso reconfirmed the December 5 initiative by the European Commission launched via the Communication A Strong European Neighbourhood Policy to extend the EUMAP implementation term. In spite of Moldova’s accomplishments regarding the EUMAP implementation stressed by Barroso at a news conference after meeting Vladimir Voronin, the European official concluded that the EUMAP is effective in continuation as a tool of cooperation of the E.U. with Moldova until the complete use of the potential of this document.

Meeting of E.U.-Moldova COPS Troika

Brussels hosted the Meeting of the E.U.-Moldova Committee for Policy and Security (COPS) Troika on January 16. Talks between the sides focussed on the Transnistrian conflict: initiatives by President Voronin aimed to strengthen the confidence between Chisinau and Tiraspol; E.U. readiness to assist Moldova in terms of expertise and financial aid; work of EUBAM, etc.

Autonomous Trade Preferences

On January 21 the E.U. Council gave green light to the European Commission proposal to award the Autonomous Trade Preferences (ATP) to Moldova. ATP is a more advantageous system than GSP+ in terms that it extends up to until 12,000 the number of types of duty-free products and shares for Moldova in the E.U. The new trade regime is expected to enter into force on March 1, 2008.

4th meeting of the E.U.-Moldova Cooperation Subcommittee 2 on Economy, Finances, Statistics

Brussels hosted the 4th Meeting of the E.U.-Moldova Subcommittee 2 on Economy, Finances, Statistics on January 23. It evaluated the implementation of EUMAP and discussed issues related to economic situation in Moldova. Participants discussed among others the management of public funds, regulatory reform, the National Development Strategy for 2008–2011. During talks on regulatory reform E.U. representatives participating in the meeting signalled the need of introducing a transparent mechanism for examination and elaboration of normative acts on regulation of entrepreneurship.

Priorities for 2008

President Vladimir Voronin told a January 25 meeting with representatives of diplomatic corps that the reformation of the judiciary, consolidation of human rights and social guarantees will be the priorities of Moldova in the European integration process in 2008. At the same time, at a similar meeting convoked by Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan a day before, the minister said that Moldova’s priorities in the dialogue with the E.U. in 2008 include among others the complete implementation of EUMAP; negotiation of a new document on cooperation with E.U.; implementation of the facilitated visa and readmission agreements, and use of ATP.

The National Commission for European Integration (NCEI) generally confirmed these priorities at a January 25 sitting. It added the diversification of the political dialogue with the E.U., development of cooperation in the field of justice, commerce, migration; participation in community programmes; harmonisation of legislation; attraction of other European states in the activity of the Joint Visa Centre (JVC).

Bilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Romania

The Moldova-Romania relations in the period covered by this issue of the journal Governing and Democracy in Moldova have paid tribute to previous confrontations between Chisinau and Bucharest. Romanian priests from churches subordinated to the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia controlled by the Romanian Patriarchate were forced to leave the Republic of Moldova in early January in a non-European spirit. The violation of the staying regime in Moldova was the motivation. As the incident took place in January, before the enforcement of the readmission agreement between Moldova and E.U., there are grounds that Moldovan authorities have violated this agreement.

President Voronin resumed accusations against Romania during a meeting with Russian Patriarch Alexy II on January 22, saying that the neighbouring country promotes an aggressive policy against Moldova. He stated that Moldova will resist to this “aggression”. President Voronin delivered similar statements during an interview with the Russian-language newspaper Kishinevsky Obozrevateli[1]. Some of them must be cited:

  1. Romania’s role in the Dniester conflict in the early 1990s of the 20th century was underrated;
  2. The conflict was started to establish Moldova’s border on the Dniester, as Transnistria was an obstacle for Moldova’s union with Romania;
  3. For this purpose, Romania provided military hardware and military specialists, services turned later into a foreign debt of Moldova towards Romania;
  4. Now some Romanian officials are categorically against Moldova’s reintegration and said more than once that Moldova will join Romania;
  5. Bilateral relations between the sides will not be normal as long as Romania tries to raise territorial claims, willing to “swallow” Moldova and Moldovan-Romanian relations are not built on interstate agreements.

In addition, new accusations were brought against Romanian officials from the Bucharest Ministry of Justice, who had reportedly facilitated the regain of Romanian citizenship by a large group of Moldovan citizens. The accusations followed an investigation by the Interior Ministry in Chisinau.

On the other hand, Romanian authorities have reaffirmed that the relationship with Moldova is a priority of Romania’s foreign policy in 2008, too. Romanian President Traian Basescu expressed optimism in front of diplomatic corps to Romania that European partners of Romania will support the granting of a prospect to Moldova like the one enjoyed by Western Balkans.

Republic of Moldova — Russia

President Voronin was on a formal visit to Moscow on January 22. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Patriarch Alexy II in Moscow.

There is little information about the meeting with the Russian president. The Moldovan presidential press service reported laconically the talks between the two presidents. It is known that the two presidents have tackled the “entire spectre of issues related to bilateral relations” and it is supposed that the Transnistrian conflict was a special topic, though the official presidential communication does not make any direct reference in this regard.

Following a meeting between Moldovan Minister of Foreign Relations and European Integration Andrei Stratan and Russian Ambassador to Moldova Valeri Kuzmin, it may be supposed that the Moldovan and Russian presidents have made certain deals in Moscow, which according to the MFAEI, could “encourage the cooperation between the two states in most diverse fields.” According to the ministerial press service, the Moldovan minister and the Russian ambassador met to review the tasks of the sides aimed to implement the “agreements of the two presidents,” in particular, in commercial-economic and social-humanitarian areas.

President Voronin was awarded a prize “for outstanding contribution to strengthening the unity of the Orthodox nations” on behalf of the International Fund of Unity of Orthodox Nations, at the meeting with the Russian patriarch.

Republic of Moldova — Italy

A Consulate-General of Moldova opened in Bolonia on January 29. The opening of the consulate aims to facilitate the dialogue with Moldovans working in Italy and provide consular services. Gheorghe Munteanu was appointed Consul-General.

The consulate opened after a visit of Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema to Moldova in early January. On this occasion, the Italian minister reported Italy’s decision to open an embassy in Moldova by June 2008 and to increase the number of Moldovan citizens allowed to obtain a legal labour permit in Italy up to 6,500 persons in 2008.

The sides signed a joint statement at the end of the meeting, expressing their willingness to strengthen the bilateral relations.

Multilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Council of Europe
Conventions

Moldova has signed two Conventions of the Council of Europe in the period concerned, in particular, concerning cinematographic co-production and the framework convention on value of cultural patrimony for society.

ECHR judgments

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) passed 5 judgments against Moldova in January 2008, in particular, on Bulava vs. Moldova, Ceachir vs. Moldova, Rusu vs. Moldova, Cravcenco vs. Moldova and Balan vs. Moldova. It sentenced Moldova for violation of rights to a fair trial, effective appeal and protection of property. Moldova will have to pay 50,374 Euros (about 844,268 lei) in the five cases.

The ECHR has sentenced Moldova in 110 cases until now[2].

Republic of Moldova — OSCE

Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva was on a formal visit to Moldova in the mid-January 2008, as Finland took over the OSCE Chairmanship for 2008. His meetings in Chisinau focussed on the Transnistrian conflict. For more details, see the “Transnistrian problem” chapter of this issue of the journal.

  1. ↑ Kishinevsky Obozrevateli, issue 3 (619), January 31, 2008.
  2. ↑ Damages for the entire period count for approximately 1.98 million Euros or 32.64 million lei.
December 17–30, 2007 February 1–15, 2008