Foreign Affairs on February 1–15, 2008

European integration

Visit of European Commissioner Ferrero Waldner to Moldova

Mrs. Benita Ferrero Waldner, European commissioner for Foreign Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, was on a formal visit to Chisinau on February 14–15, 2008. In Chisinau, the European official has met President Vladimir Voronin; Speaker Marian Lupu; Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev; Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan; and Chisinau Mayor-General Dorin Chirtoaca. Also, Benita Ferrero Waldner visited the Moldova State University and addressed students and professors.

Mrs. Benita Ferrero Waldner has reaffirmed what was said in December 2007 and January 2008 that the European Union will consider the possibility to sign a new agreement with Moldova only “after the complete implementation” of the E.U.-Moldova Action Plan (EUMAP). Nor in December 2007 the announcement of this possibility was new, as the EUMAP stipulates such a perspective. Given the state of things regarding “the accomplishment of objectives of this Action Plan and the general evolution of the E.U.-Moldova relations” in the initial three-year implementation deadline of this document, the European Commission has proposed the extension of the EUMAP implementation process with one more year, until February 2009. Tackling the future E.U.-Moldova relations, Waldner said, while on a visit to the Moldova State University, that she is sure of the willingness of both sides to promote their relations at a higher level and hopes that the future report by the European Commission concerning Moldova’s progress within the European Neighbourhood Policy will allow such an evolution.

While meeting Moldovan officials, Benita Ferrero Waldner has praised authorities for the success in implementing the EUMAP but signalled problematical fields which require more efforts. The problematical areas signalled by the European commissioner are those that E.U.-Moldova cooperation bodies and the European Commission have earlier indicated, in particular, the mass media, the independence of the judiciary, the anti-corruption fight and the business environment. Also, Waldner reiterated the need of effectively enforcing the laws adopted during the implementation of the EUMAP.

President Voronin has assured that Moldova will implement the new regulations and will organised the 2009 parliamentary elections, which he described as “the first and perhaps the most important test for Moldova,” in a democratic, transparent and free way.

Launching of communication strategy on European integration of Moldova

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI) presented, at two successive events in early February 2008, the communication strategy on European integration of the Republic of Moldova approved on December 29, 2007.

The strategy aims to ensure the systematic distribution of information about E.U., access of the public to information sources regarding the E.U., and to provide Moldovan citizens with the opportunity to participate more actively in the European integration process. The strategy stipulates the organisation of a series of actions, including surveys, radio and TV broadcasts, roundtables, seminars, conferences, workshops, debates, opening of regional information centres, building of a portal and publishing of a newsletter on Moldova-E.U. relations, etc.

An action plan for 2008 was approved in this respect.

Bilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Romania

Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu has told a news conference that the Republic of Moldova will be in 2008 one of key beneficiaries of development assistance projects administrated by the Romanian Foreign Ministry. By providing this assistance, Romania would like to help Moldova approach the E.U. as close as possible. At the same time, he assured that Romania will continue supporting projects aimed to approach Moldova and NATO, particularly because the neighbouring state has been awarded the second consecutive NATO contact point mandate for the Romanian Embassy in Chisinau.

Cioroianu indicated among key objectives of Romania in relations with the Republic of Moldova in 2008 the development of consular services and mobility facilities granted by Romania to Moldovan citizens.

On occasion of the February 14 BSEC Meeting in Kiev Adrian Cioroianu has met his Moldovan counterpart Andrei Stratan. The ministers reviewed issues related to the Moldova-Romania relations and agreed to accelerate the finalisation and signing of documents designed to regulate the political and border relations between the parties.

Republic of Moldova — Russia

A round of Moldovan-Russian consultations finished in Moscow on February 1. According to the presidential press service, the talks focussed on the Transnistrian settlement. The press service fell short of revealing other details about the Moscow consultations, encouraging this way interpretations and hypotheses by observers of the Moldova-Russia relations in the context of the Transnistria settlement process. Many of them indicated previous allegations regarding an eventual “secret deal” on settlement of the Transnistrian conflict negotiated by Chisinau and Moscow.

Of course, many Russian and Moldovan officials were sure after bilateral meetings of diverse levels that the relations between the parties have been remedied. Given this confidence, Chisinau hopes that the ascension of the Moldovan-Russian relations could bring a solution to the Transnistrian conflict. In addition, President Voronin indicated other three factors while addressing the February 9, 2008 44^th Security Policy Conference in Munchen, saying that they are susceptible to help settling the Transnistrian conflict, in particular:

Moldova is at the crossroad of important geopolitical ensembles. It blends elements of several ethno-cultural heritages and it is an area where “tens of nationalities and languages are in an intercommunity,” without facing interethnic conflicts. In other terms, Moldova “is Europe”, Voronin concluded, an area based on diverse values, tolerance and opening.
Moldova is a neutral area, while the neutrality may be a serious guarantee of stability and security, if it is internationally recognised (by Russia, Ukraine, the E.U. and the U.S.).
All the factors participating in the Transnistrian settlement agree that Transnistria must receive a well-grounded status as part of a unitary state.

Republic of Moldova — Latvia

Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins was on an official visit to Chisinau on February 4–5. He met his Moldovan counterpart Andrei Stratan, with the latter thanking Latvia for assisting Moldova, in particular, in the European integration process. At the same time, Minister Stratan stressed that Moldova needs a clear political signal from the E.U. in order to know that the E.U. recognises its accession prospect, and hopes that the E.U. will agree on the need of a new cooperation framework with Chisinau, seeking the support of Latvia for this purpose.

Regional cooperation

Republic of Moldova — BSEC

Kiev hosted an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Organisation Foreign Ministers and a joint meeting of the Black Sea and E.U. Foreign Ministers. Moldova was represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan.

Minister Stratan has delivered two speeches expressing the vision of Moldova regarding the further development of BSEC and mechanisms of cooperation between BSEC and E.U. In the first case, the minister stressed the need of developing economic relations between countries in the region, liberalising the visa regime, especially for businesspersons, academia and art representatives. In the second case, Stratan welcomed the configuration of the Black Sea Synergy built by the E.U. to catalyse and harmonise the cooperation process between countries in the Black Sea area and the E.U., underlined the need of a greater E.U. participation in the BSEC area in fields such as transportation infrastructure, energy systems, environment, struggle against organised crime, inter-human relations, etc.

Multilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Council of Europe

Joint CoE-E.U. programmes

Following the signing of 2008–09 joint cooperation programmes between the Council of Europe (CoE) and E.U. for the South Caucasus, Ukraine and Moldova in December 2007, Strasbourg hosted a meeting to plan activities within these programmes in early February. Taking part in the meeting was also a group of Moldovan dignitaries led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Valeriu Ostalep. Ostalep said during discussions on the CoE-E.U. joint programmes that the priority directions of cooperation between Moldova and CoE include among others the free and fair elections, freedom of expression and mass media; development of partnership with civil society; promotion of non-judicial human rights protection mechanisms; protection of rights of the Roma minority.

ECHR judgments

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has passed three judgments against Moldova in the period concerned, in particular, Oferta Plus SRL vs. Moldova, Guja vs. Moldova and Flux (no.4) vs. Moldova. Moldova was sentenced for violation of rights to a fair trial, protection of property, freedom of expression. It will have to pay 2,535,104 million euros or about 41,322,195 lei in the case Oferta Plus SRL vs. Moldova, this amount being larger than all damages paid by Moldova until now (about 1.98 million euros or 32.64 million lei). Moldova will have to pay 2,558,417 euros or about 41.70 million lei in damages in the three cases lost in early February.

The ECHR has sentenced Moldova in 113 cases until now.^[1].

↑ Damages for all cases amount to approximately 4.54 million euros or 74.34 million lei.

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